Commentary on Sections Section 17 Power to amend periods of time
52.Section 17 enables the Secretary of State to change the length of the following periods specified in the Act: the length of time for which it has not been known whether a person is alive or dead (see sections 1(1)(b) and 2(1)(b) and (4)(b)), currently seven years; and the period after which an order under section 7(3) can only be made in exceptional circumstances (see section 7(3)), currently five years. This power is to be exercised by making regulations by statutory instrument and the regulations will be subject to affirmative resolution procedure (section 19(1) and (2)(a)).