Communications Act 2003

411 Short title, commencement and extent U.K.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Communications Act 2003.

(2) This Act (except the provisions listed in subsection (3), which come into force on the passing of this Act) shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint; and different days may be appointed under this subsection for different purposes.

(3) Those provisions are sections 31(1) to (4) and (6) and 405 and this section.

(4) An order under subsection (2) may include provision making such transitional or transitory provision, in addition to that made by Schedule 18, as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in connection with the bringing into force of any provisions of this Act; and the power to make transitional or transitory provision includes power to make—

(a) different provision for different cases (including different provision in respect of different areas);

(b) provision subject to such exemptions and exceptions as the Secretary of State thinks fit; and

(c) such incidental, supplemental and consequential provision as he thinks fit.

(5) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), Her Majesty may by Order in Council extend the provisions of this Act, with such modifications as appear to Her Majesty in Council to be appropriate, to any of the Channel Islands or to the Isle of Man.

(7) Subsection (6) does not authorise the extension to any place of a provision of this Act so far as it gives effect to an amendment of an enactment that is not itself capable of being extended there in exercise of a power conferred on Her Majesty in Council.

(8) Subsection (3) of section 402 applies to the power to make an Order in Council under this section as it applies to any power of the Secretary of State to make an order under this Act, but as if references in that subsection to the Secretary of State were references to Her Majesty in Council.

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1 S. 411(2)(4) power partly exercised: 25.7.2003 and 18.9.2003 appointed for specified provisions and purposes by {S.I. 2003/1900}, art. 2; different dates appointed for further specified provisions and purposes by {S.I. 2003/3142}, arts. 2, 3, 4

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 411(6): power to extend conferred (27.4.2017) by Broadcasting (Radio Multiplex Services) Act 2017 (c. 12), s. 2(2)(4)

C2 S. 411(6): power extended (24.5.2024) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 54(3), 55(1)(b)