Search Legislation

Interpretation Act 1978

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Status:

Point in time view as at 01/08/2020.

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Interpretation Act 1978, Cross Heading: Repealing enactments. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Repealing enactmentsU.K.

15 Repeal of repeal.U.K.

Where an Act repeals a repealing enactment, the repeal does not revive any enactment previously repealed unless words are added reviving it.

16 General savings.U.K.

(1)Without prejudice to section 15, where an Act repeals an enactment, the repeal does not, unless the contrary intention appears,—

(a)revive anything not in force or existing at the time at which the repeal takes effect;

(b)affect the previous operation of the enactment repealed or anything duly done or suffered under that enactment;

(c)affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued or incurred under that enactment;

(d)affect any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred in respect of any offence committed against that enactment;

(e)affect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment;

and any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such penalty, forfeiture or punishment may be imposed, as if the repealing Act had not been passed.

(2)This section applies to the expiry of a temporary enactment as if it were repealed by an Act.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C8S. 16 applied (temp.) (18.7.2020 at 12.01 a.m.) by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/750), regs. 1(2), 2(5) (with reg. 19)(as amended by S.I 2021/705 reg. 4(1))(as amended by SI. 2020/750 reg. 19)

C11S. 16(1) applied (E.) (temp. from 27.11.2001 until 27.7.2002) by S.I. 2001/3576, art. 3(2)

S. 16(1) applied (27.11.2001) by S.I. 2001/3577, art. 3(2)

S. 16(1) applied (27.11.2001) by S.I. 2001/3578, art. 3(2)

C13S. 16(1) applied (with modifications) by The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1678), s. 80(3) (the amendment coming into force in accordance with s. 1(2) of the amending S.I.)

C15S. 16(1) applied by The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2846), Sch. ss. 54(3), 55(5) (the application coming into force in accordance with arts. 1(3), 2(1) of the applying S.I.)

C16S. 16(1) applied (with modifications) by The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1751), arts. 75(3), 152(3), 217(3) (the amendments coming into force in accordance with art. 1(3) of the amending S.I.)

C17S. 16(1) applied by The Pitcairn Constitution Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/244), arts. 2, 4, Sch. 2 section 41(3) (the amendment coming into force in accordance with arts. 1(2), 2 of the amending S.I.)

C19S. 16(1) modified (17.12.2010) by Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010 (c. 38), ss. 46(4), 55(1) (with s. 44)

C20S. 16(1) applied (25.3.2020) by Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7), ss. 87(1), 88(2)

17 Repeal and re-enactment.U.K.

(1)Where an Act repeals a previous enactment and substitutes provisions for the enactment repealed, the repealed enactment remains in force until the substituted provisions come into force.

(2)Where an Act repeals and re-enacts, with or without modification, a previous enactment then, unless the contrary intention appears,—

(a)any reference in any other enactment to the enactment so repealed shall be construed as a reference to the provision re-enacted;

(b)in so far as any subordinate legislation made or other thing done under the enactment so repealed, or having effect as if so made or done, could have been made or done under the provision re-enacted, it shall have effect as if made or done under that provision.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C21S. 17 saved (E.W.) (1.12.1991) by Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56, SIF 130), ss. 140, 223(2)

C23S. 17 excluded (S.) (20.4.2010) by The Beet Seed (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (S.S.I. 2010/67), regs. 1(1), 25(2) (which amending S.S.I. was revoked by S.S.I. 2010/148, reg. 25(1)) and s. 17 excluded (S.) (20.4.2010) by The Beet Seed (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (S.S.I. 2010/148), regs. 1(2), 25(3)

C24S. 17(2) excluded (22.8.1996) by 1996 c. 16, ss. 103, 104(1), Sch. 8 Pt. I para. 1(6)(7)

S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.S.) (22.8.1996) by 1996 c. 17, ss. 44, 46, Sch. 2 Pt. I paras. 1-5 (with s. 38)

S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.S.) (22.8.1996) by 1996 c. 18, ss. 241, 243, Sch. 2 Pt. I paras. 1-5 (with ss. 191-195, 202)

S. 17(2) excluded (21.7.1997) by 1997 c. 22, s. 27, Sch. 2 paras. 1-5; S.I. 1997/1672, art. 2

S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.) (19.6.1997) by 1997 c. 25, ss. 73(1), 74(1), Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 1(6)

S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.) (11.9.1998) by 1998 c. 18, ss. 54(2), 55(2), Sch. 4 para. 6

S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.) (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 165(3), 168(1), Sch. 11 Pt. I para. 1(5)

S. 17(2) excluded (22.3.2001 with effect in accordance with s. 579(1) of the excluding Act) by 2001 c. 2, s. 579, Sch. 3 Pt. I para. 6

S. 17(2) excluded (24.10.2002) by 2002 c. 24, ss. 14, 18(2), Sch. 2 para. 5

S. 17(2) excluded (6.4.2003 with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the excluding Act) by The Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 7 para. 6 (subject to Sch. 7)

S. 17(2) excluded (6.4.2005 with effect in accordance with s. 883(1)(a)(b) of the excluding Act) by The Income Tax (Trading and other Income) Act 2005 (c. 5), s. 883, Sch. 2 para. 6(1)

S. 17(2) excluded (8.2.2007) by The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (c. 36), ss. 124, 126, Sch. 8 para. 5

S. 17(2) excluded (1.3.2007) by The National Health Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 43), ss. 4, 8(2), Sch. 2 para. 1(8) (with Sch. 3 Pt. 1)

S. 17(2) excluded (1.4.2007) by The Parliamentary Costs Act 2006 (c. 37), ss. 17(7), 19, Sch. 2 para. 6

C25S. 17(2) excluded (E.W.) (14.3.2012) by Charities Act 2011 (c. 25), ss. 354, 355, Sch. 8 para. 5 (with s. 20(2))

C31S. 17(2) excluded (with effect and application in accordance with Sch. 1 paras. 120, 123(1)-(6) of the excluding Act) by Finance Act 2019 (c. 1), Sch. 1 para. 123(7)

C34S. 17(2)(b) excluded (24.7.2002) by 2002 c. 23, s. 20(4)

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources