Tag Archive for Commencement orders

Legislating without effect

Lord Norton

After Parliament has passed a Bill, it receives Royal Assent and becomes an Act of Parliament.  Provisions of an Act take effect upon Royal Assent unless provided otherwise.  In practice, it is common to provide otherwise, with ministers being empowered by order to make commencement orders, stipulating the date on which the provisions, or particular…

Bringing Acts into effect

Lord Norton

I penned an earlier post on the procedure for Third Reading in the Lords in response to clear interest shown in it during passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.   Many people outside the House appeared unaware of how we differed from the Commons.  The passage of the Bill also prompts comment on when its…