Commentary on provisions of Act Section 2: Pre-consolidation amendments relating to sentencing
Section 2 refers to the pre-consolidation amendments and modifications of sentencing legislation contained in Schedule 2 to the Act. Such changes are a standard measure which precedes consolidation Acts. As a consolidation must operate on the current law, it is necessary to make certain changes to allow the consolidation to happen. For example, changing language to avoid inconsistency, correcting error or updating existing statutory references.
	The section also gives the Secretary of State the power to make any further pre-consolidation amendments to legislation, by statutory instrument laid under the affirmative procedure, to enable the consolidation to proceed. This power is limited only to changes that the Secretary of State is of the opinion facilitate, or are otherwise desirable in connection with, the consolidation. As such, once the consolidation occurs, the power will no longer be able to be used.