82.This section provides for the minimum pricing regime established by the Act to cease to have effect after 6 years from the date on which section 2 comes into force, unless the Welsh Ministers make regulations, before the regime ceases to have effect, providing otherwise. The Welsh Ministers cannot make regulations to this effect until at least 5 years after section 2 comes into force. The report referred to in section 21 will feed into the decision whether to make such regulations.
83.If no such regulations are made by the end of 6 years, the minimum pricing provisions are repealed.
84.If the minimum pricing provisions are repealed after 6 years, subsection (3) provides that the Welsh Ministers may, by regulations, make any necessary or expedient provision as a result of that fact. This would include any transitional, transitory or saving provision. So for instance, if before the repeal of the minimum pricing provisions another Act cross-referred to them, this power could be used to remove that reference.
85.Subsection (4) defines what is meant by the minimum pricing provisions for these purposes.
Commentary on Sections Section 22: Duration of minimum pricing provisions