28CommencementU.K.
(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 Dàil Èireann 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.