Commentary on Sections Part 4: General Section 43 – Coming into force of this Act
220.This section makes provision about when and how the Act comes into force.
221.Part 1 of the Act comes into force the day after the Act receives Royal Assent. However, section 2 does not have any immediate effect in practice, because it requires a programme to be prepared only for each Assembly term that begins after the section comes into force, and requires the programme to be laid before the Assembly within 6 months after the appointment of a First Minister following an Assembly general election.
222.Part 2 comes into force the day after Royal Assent so far as it applies to the interpretation and operation of the Act itself. The power in section 5(2) and (3) to amend Schedule 1 also comes into force the day after Royal Assent, in case the Schedule needs to be amended before it comes fully into force.
223.An order made by the Welsh Ministers will bring Part 2 into force in relation to other Assembly Acts and in relation to Welsh subordinate instruments. It is expected that the order will bring Part 2 fully into force at the start of a calendar year, so that it is possible to tell from the year included in the title of an Act or instrument whether Part 2 applies to it.
224.Parts 3 and 4 come into force the day after the Act receives Royal Assent.