The Defamation Act 1996 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1999

Made: 12th March 1999

The Lord Chancellor, in respect of England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Secretary of State in respect of Scotland, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 19(3) of the Defamation Act 1996¹ make the following Order–

1

This Order may be cited as the Defamation Act 1996 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1999.

2

The following provisions of the Defamation Act 1996 shall come into force on 1st April 1999–

• (a) sections 14 and 15 and Schedule 1 (reports etc of courts and other bodies protected by privilege) and section 17 (interpretation) so far as it applies to those provisions;

• (b) section 16 (repeals) so far as consequential on the provisions in sub-paragraph (a) and Schedule 2 except the entries relating to–

• (i) the Defamation Act 1952² sections 4 and 16(3);

• (ii) the Defamation Act (Northern Ireland) 1955³, sections 4 and 14(2);

• (iii) the Broadcasting Act 1990⁴ Schedule 20, paragraph 3.

3

This Order extends to England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Signed

Irvine of Lairg, C. — Dated 11th March 1999

Donald C. Dewar — Secretary of State — Dated 12th March 1999

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force on 1st April 1999 sections 14 and 15 of the Defamation Act 1996 and Schedule 1 (reports etc of courts and other bodies protected by privilege) and section 16 and Schedule 2 (repeals) and section 17 (interpretation) in part.

Footnotes