Interpretation Act 1978

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1978 c. 30
Year1978
  • Every section of an Act takes effect as a substantive enactment without introductory words.
  • Any Act may be amended or repealed in the Session of Parliament in which it is passed.
  • Every Act is a public Act to be judicially noticed as such, unless the contrary is expressly provided by the Act.
  • (a) where provision is made for it to come into force on a particular day, at the beginning of that day;(b) where no provision is made for its coming into force, at the beginning of the day on which the Act receives the Royal Assent.
  • In any Act, unless the contrary intention appears, words and expressions listed in Schedule 1 to this Act are to be construed according to that Schedule.
  • (a) words importing the masculine gender include the feminine;(b) words importing the feminine gender include the masculine;(c) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular.
  • Where an Act authorises or requires any document to be served by post (whether the expression “serve” or the expression “give” or “send” or any other expression is used) then, unless the contrary intention appears, the service is deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the document and, unless the contrary is proved, to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.
  • In the measurement of any distance for the purposes of an Act, that distance shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.
  • Subject to section 3 of the
  • In any Act a reference to the Sovereign reigning at the time of the passing of the Act is to be construed, unless the contrary intention appears, as a reference to the Sovereign for the time being.
  • Where an Act confers power to make subordinate legislation, expressions used in that legislation have, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning which they bear in the Act.
  • (1) Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty it is implied, unless the contrary intention appears, that the power may be exercised, or the duty is to be performed, from time to time as occasion requires.(2) Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty on the holder of an office as such, it is implied, unless the contrary intention appears, that the power may be exercised, or the duty is to be performed, by the holder for the time being of the office.(a) of bringing the Act or any provision of the Act into force; or(b) of giving full effect to the Act or any such provision at or after the time when it comes into force.(a) rules, regulations or byelaws; or(b) Orders in Council, orders or other subordinate legislation to be made by statutory instrument,(1) This section applies where an Act confers a power or a duty on a person to make subordinate legislation except to the extent that—(a) the power or duty is exercisable by the Scottish Ministers, or(b) the power or duty is exercisable by any other person within devolved competence (within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998) .provision requiring the person to review the effectiveness of the legislation within a specified period or at the end of a specified period;provision for the legislation to cease to have effect at the end of a specified day or a specified period;if the power or duty is being exercised to amend other subordinate legislation, provision of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) in relation to that other legislation.(3) The provision that may be made by virtue of subsection (2) (a) includes provision requiring the person to consider whether the objectives which it was the

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