Final provisions

Commencement
28
1
The following provisions come into force on the day on which this Act is passed—
a
in section 1 (donations for political purposes)—
i
subsections (1) and (2), and
ii
subsection (3) for the purpose of prescribing requirements;
b
in section 2 (loans etc for political purposes)—
i
subsection (1),
ii
subsection (2) for the purpose of prescribing requirements, and
iii
subsection (3);
c
section 7 (extension of term of Assembly);
d
section 19 (Chief Electoral Officer: performance standards etc);
e
section 20 (data sharing) (but see subsection (2) below);
f
section 22 (equality duties);
g
section 23 (extension of powers to make secondary legislation about elections etc);
h
section 24 (regulation of biometric data) (but see subsection (3) below);
i
sections 26 to 29 (final provisions).
2
If paragraph 10 of Schedule 4 to the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (which restricts to Northern Ireland the application of section 10A of the Representation of the People Act 1983) comes into force on a day after that on which this Act is passed, subsection (2)(c)(i) of section 20 comes into force immediately after that paragraph comes into force.
3
If paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 1 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 comes into force on a day after that on which this Act is passed, section 24 comes into force immediately after that paragraph comes into force.
4
The following provisions come into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed—
- section 6 (reduction in size of the Assembly to be reserved matter);
- section 10 (Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland);
- section 11 (Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission);
- section 12 (district electoral areas for council elections);
- section 13 (removal of requirement that canvass form must be prescribed form);
- section 17 (electoral identity cards);
- section 18 (Chief Electoral Officer: duty to take necessary steps) (but see subsection (5) below);
- section 21 and the Schedule (rules of court);
- section 25 (amendment of Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975).
5
If paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 to the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (which amends section 9A of the Representation of the People Act 1983) comes into force on a day after the end of the period mentioned in subsection (4), section 18(3) comes into force immediately after that paragraph comes into force.
6
The following provisions come into force on the first day after this Act is passed on which the Northern Ireland Assembly is dissolved—
- section 3 (MPs to be disqualified for membership of Assembly);
- section 4 (members of the Dáil Éireann to be disqualified for membership of the Assembly);
- section 5 (statements by prospective members of Assembly).
7
Subject to the preceding subsections of this section, this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may appoint by order made by statutory instrument.
8
An order under subsection (7)—
a
may appoint different days for different purposes, and
b
may make transitional, transitory or saving provision.