Overview
The Act makes a number of technical and relatively minor changes to the current law.
The Great Britain Statutory Instruments were constrained by the limited powers to make them contained in the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 and the European Communities Act 1972.
As the Act is not similarly constrained it restates the law in this area, with amendments similar to those made by the recent Great Britain Statutory Instruments, in a consolidated and more readily understood form. The Act largely follows the language of the Great Britain Statutory Instruments but is different in structure.
The Northern Ireland Act, although different in structure, produces exactly the same legal effect as the 1971 GB Act as amended. The Department considers that anyone who complies with the law in GB will comply with the law in Northern Ireland as set out in the Act.