Territorial extent and application
- Section 7 sets out the territorial extent of the Act i.e. the jurisdictions of which the law forms a part. The extent of an Act can be different from its application. Application is about where an Act produces a practical effect.
- Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the provisions of the Act extend and apply to England and Wales only. Subsection (2) provides that section 6 relating to minor and consequential amendments, section 7 itself, section 8 on commencement and transitional provision and section 9 containing the short title, all form part of the law of the United Kingdom. Subsection (3) provides that an amendment or repeal made by the Schedule has the same extent as the provision amended or repealed. The amendments and repeals made by the Schedule extend and apply to England and Wales, save for Part 3 of the Schedule of minor and consequential amendments which contains amendments to a small number of provisions that also extend and apply to Northern Ireland and/or Scotland, in one instance apply to Wales only, in one instance extend and apply to Scotland only, and in one instance extend and apply to Northern Ireland only. These amendments amend references to divorce, judicial separation and/or nullity decrees from, or such proceedings in, the courts of England and Wales. More information is provided in Annex A.
- See the table in Annex A for a summary of the position regarding territorial extent and application in the United Kingdom.
