Acts of parliament statutory instruments
The UK publishes legislation on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ rather than in a ‘legal gazette’
Official journal / legal gazette
Acts of parliament, statutory instruments (and the equivalents from the devolved parliament and assemblies) and legislation originating from the EU are published on www.legislation.gov.uk and not as part of a 'legal gazette'. There are annual bound editions of both the statutory instruments and all the acts of parliament produced in a year. These are bound and published in numerical order. The Gazette (comprising the London Gazette, the Edinburgh Gazette and the Belfast Gazette) is the official newspapers of record in the United Kingdom;
see point 1.2 for details.
First edition
Not applicable
First online edition
1996
Paper edition
Acts of parliament Price
The price varies, depending on the number of pages, though all legislation can be downloaded and printed free of charge from www.legislation.gov.uk
Statutory instruments Price
The price varies, depending on the number of pages. Though all legislation can be downloaded and printed free of charge from www.legislation.gov.uk
Selected pre-1988 primary legislation (though sometimes only the original published (as enacted) version is available), including all primary legislation as in force in 1991.
All secondary legislation from 1987, including UK Statutory Instruments, Scottish Statutory Instruments and Northern Ireland Statutory Rules.
A selection of secondary legislation from 1948-1986, and selected pre-1948 Statutory Rules and Orders.
Legislation originating from the EU, as set out in Schedule 5 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16)
Acts of parliament and their Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh equivalents
Statutory instruments and their Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh equivalents
Legislaiton originaitng from the EU
Legal basis
Publishing all UK legislation is a core part of the remit of the Keeper of Public Records, Jeff James in his capacity as the Queen’s Printer of Acts of Parliament and Government Printer of Northern Ireland, and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.
The original (as enacted) and revised versions of legislation on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ are published by and under the authority of the Controller of HMSO in his capacity as The Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament, and Government Printer of Northern Ireland, and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.
The revised versions of legislation held on this site are maintained by the legislation editorial team at The National Archives and the staff of the Northern Ireland Statutory Publications Office – part of the Office of the Legislative Counsel in Northern Ireland within The Executive Office.
The Office of the Queen's Printer for Scotland (OQPS) provides access to Acts of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish statutory instruments and a range of other legislation applying to Scotland.
Legally binding
All legislation in the UK is judicially recognised whether it has been published or not. Publication is therefore not a legal prerequisite for its coming into force as is the case in Continental law systems.
Financing
Sales revenue
Other gazettes
The Gazette (comprising the London Gazette, Edinburgh Gazette and Belfast Gazett and first published 1665 is an official public record in the United Kingdom. The Gazettes are the primary source of a wide range of official notices.
These include:
State (including Royal Household), parliamentary and ecclesiastical notices
Implementation of statutory instruments
Corporate and personal insolvency notices
Wills and probate
Other legal notices
Supplements:
The Queen’s Birthday and New Year’s Honours Lists
Other honours and awards
Details of unclaimed Premium Bond prize draw numbers
Armed forces promotions and re-gradings
Information on companies.
Online edition: www.thegazette.co.uk
The website Current notices, and information published in The Gazette since its first pubblication n 1665.
www.legislation.gov.uk Available texts
All primary legislation from 1988 – present day, including Acts of the UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Selected pre-1988 primary legislation (though sometimes only the original published (as enacted) version is available), including all primary legislation as in force in 1991.
All secondary legislation from 1987, including UK Statutory Instruments, Scottish Statutory Instruments and Northern Ireland Statutory Rules.
A selection of secondary legislation from 1948-1986, and selected pre-1948 Statutory Rules and Orders.
Legislation originating from the EU, as set out in Schedule 5 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16).
Access and price
Free
Legally binding
From 2002
Functionalities
Download
Data feeds
Points in time versions of updated legislation, including an active timeline
Advanced Search
Print on demand
Format description
Crown Legislation Mark-up Language (CLML) XML (add “/data.xml” to the end of the URI)
Un-styled XHTML (add “/data.xht” to the end of the URI)
Akoma Ntoso XML (add “/data.akn” to the end of the URI)
HTML5 (add “/data.html” to the end of the URI)
PDF (Dynamically Generated) (add “/data.pdf” to the end of the URI
PDF (Queen’s Printer Versions)
Authenticity
The http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ publishing system validates all information submitted for publishing and produces an audit trail of all transactions.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ is managed by The National Archives on behalf of HM Government under a contract with The Stationery Office Limited (TSO) For contact details, please refer to point 1.1
The processing system uses XML and Microsoft Word packages for drafting and adapting texts. The drafting system for UK primary legislation (bills/acts) is based on use of Framemaker software (data converted to XML Schema format). The drafting system for Scottish and Northern Ireland primary legislation (bills/acts) is based on a Microsoft Word template (data converted to XML).
The SI (statutory instrument) template system for all delegated legislation uses a Microsoft Word template (data formatted to XML Schema).
Primary and secondary legislation are incorporated into a content management system based on the UK legislation XML Schema which has been published on the legislation.gov.uk website (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/developer/format).
Outputs are generated for print production in PDF, XML and X/HTML for publishing on the Internet and for use by private sector law publishers. The latter utilise the XML data in their online databases.
Workflow
All data from drafting through parliamentary consideration to publishing is transmitted electronically.
Publishing
Proofreading and editing is the responsibility of the legislative draftsmen and, in the case of acts, the Parliamentary Legislation Offices.
The publication of acts takes place on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ as soon as the authorised texts are received from Parliament with the printed editions following within 3 working days. Statutory instruments are published online within 48 hours of registration and with publication in printed form within 3 working days.
The paper and electronic editions are derived from the same final text file.
The printing is done by TSO (The Stationery Office Limited), a private sector contractor appointed by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office to undertake the printing and publishing of all United Kingdom legislation. Legislation may be purchased from its online bookshop (www.tso.co.uk).
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ Note that the term “consolidated” in UK law relates to the creation of new legislation which consolidates and replaces earlier legislation. This is a different process from the revision of legislation which is being amended. For the purposes of this description, “consolidation” should be taken to refer to the activity whereby amended legislation is revised on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/
Body carrying out
consolidation
The Legislation Services Department within the National Archives and the Northern Ireland Statutory Publications Office (for legislation applying to Northern Ireland only)
Content
Most types of primary legislation (e.g. Acts, Measures, N.I. Orders in Council) are held in 'revised' form, as well as selected secondary legislation, and legislation originating from the EU.
By 'revised' we mean that amendments made by subsequent legislation are incorporated into the text. Most secondary legislation is not currently revised and is held only in the form in which they were originally made
Deadline for
consolidation
Speed of revision can vary depending on the volume and complexity of new legislation amendments, however the aim is to incorporate new amendments into the text of the legislation on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ within three months of those amendments coming into force.
Legislation is published on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ from a legislation database that is managed by The National Archives’ legislation services team.
Organisation
responsible
See point 1.4
Content
See point 1.1
Access
Free of charge
Access via N-Lex
N-Lex gives access to the online edition of published legislation (see point 1.3).
