Anatomy of an Act of Parliament

• Short Title

  • Normal way to refer to a statute.
• Long Title

  • Gives an indication as to the purpose and content of the Act.
• Date of Royal Assent

  • Provisions of an Act will come into force at the beginning of the day on which it receives Royal Assent.
  • However, Acts can contain commencement provisions which mean that provisions can come into force on different dates.
• Enacting Formula

  • Introduces the main provisions of the statute.
  • Declares that the law derives its authority from having been properly passed by the legislature.
  • The enacting formula used for Acts passed using the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 is different.
• Main Body

  • Divided into sections, subsections, paragraphs and subparagraphs.
• Marginal Notes

  • Many older statutes have marginal notes instead of headings.
  • Section headings are part of the acts and debated during the passage of legislation.
  • Marginal notes are not, meaning they have no direct legal effect.
  • However both are useful means for navigating around an Act.
• Extent

  • May specify that certain provisions only come into force in certain areas.
• Schedules

  • Contain a number of different things.
  • Definition of terms used in the Act.
  • Detailed provisions which are referred to in the main Act.
  • Details of minor and consequential amendments to other legislation.
  • Repeals of pre-existing legislation.
• Preambles

  • Contained in older statutes.
  • Describe the purpose of the Act in more detail than the long title.
• Explanatory Notes

  • Contained in most recent Acts.
  • Useful information but not legally binding.