Commentary on provisions of the Act Section 17: Extent, commencement, transitional provision and short title
Section 17 sets out the extent of the Act. Annex A provides further information. The section comes into force on the day this Act is passed, as do the other sections listed in subsection (2).
	Those provisions which come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations appoint are set out in subsection (3). Corresponding powers are provided for Welsh Minsters. Commencement regulations may also make transitional or saving provision and different provision for different purposes or places.
	Those provisions in the Act which will come into force two months after the day this Act is passed are set out in subsection (5).
	Subsection (7) permits commencement regulations to make reference to criteria established by regulators (the Environment Agency for assets wholly or mainly in England, Natural Resources Body for Wales for those in Wales), established to identify the categories of asset which the duty should first apply to.
	Consultation that takes place prior to this Act being passed will meet any consultation requirement arising from the provisions of the Act - subsection (9). For example, under new section 35C of the Water Industry Act 1991, as inserted by section 1, Ofwat has a duty to consult on rules that it proposes to issue under section 35B. Consultation undertaken prior to the Act being passed will meet that requirement by virtue of subsection (9).
	Finally, this section confirms the short title of the Act.