Commencement Date
389.Under section 59(2) of the Act, sections 42 and 43 (power to make regulations on information and consultation in Great Britain and Northern Ireland), 56 (interpretation) 58 (corresponding provision for Northern Ireland) and section 59 came into force on the day the Act achieved Royal Assent (16 September 2004).
390.Section 59(3) gives the Secretary of State a power, by order, to bring all the other provisions of the Act into force on such day as the Secretary of State may appoint, and to appoint different days for different purposes. It is envisaged that measures contained in the Act (except those mentioned above) will come into force between October 2004 and April 2005. Details on commencement will be made available at www.dti/gov/uk/er.
391.The following table sets out the dates and Hansard references for each stage of the Act’s passage through Parliament.