Key Legislation

The statutes that govern how UK legislation is made, interpreted, and reformed

The following statutes are the most important instruments governing the UK legislative process itself: how legislation is made, how it is interpreted, how devolved legislatures operate, and how the body of statute law is maintained and reformed. Each entry links to the official text on legislation.gov.uk.

Interpretation Act 1978

Provides standard definitions and rules of construction that apply across all UK legislation. Defines common terms (such as "person", "month", "writing"), establishes rules for commencement and repeal, and governs how references between statutes are construed. A consolidation of the Interpretation Act 1889 and subsequent amendments.

Human Rights Act 1998

Incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law. Section 3 requires all legislation to be read and given effect, so far as possible, in a way compatible with Convention rights. Section 4 gives courts the power to make declarations of incompatibility. Section 19 requires a ministerial statement of compatibility before a Bill's Second Reading.

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

Repealed the European Communities Act 1972, ended the supremacy of EU law in the UK, and converted existing EU law into "retained EU law" as part of domestic law. Gave ministers powers to make secondary legislation to correct deficiencies in retained EU law arising from withdrawal.

Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006

Empowers ministers to make orders amending or repealing legislation for the purpose of removing or reducing burdens resulting from legislation. Also establishes a statutory code of practice for regulators (Part 2) and sets out Parliamentary scrutiny procedures for legislative reform orders.

Parliament Act 1911

Removed the House of Lords' power to veto money Bills and limited its ability to delay other public Bills (originally to two years over three sessions). Established the principle that the elected chamber should prevail in legislative disputes. Reduced the maximum life of a Parliament from seven to five years.

Parliament Act 1949

Amended the Parliament Act 1911 to reduce the Lords' delaying power from three sessions over two years to two sessions over one year. Itself passed under the Parliament Act 1911 procedure without Lords' consent. Its validity was upheld by the House of Lords (Judicial Committee) in R (Jackson) v Attorney General [2005] UKHL 56.

Statutory Instruments Act 1946

Governs the making, numbering, printing, and publication of statutory instruments. Defines what constitutes a statutory instrument. Requires SIs to be laid before Parliament and provides for the negative and affirmative scrutiny procedures.

Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Reformed the relationship between the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. Created the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the final court of appeal). Reformed the office of Lord Chancellor and established the Judicial Appointments Commission.

Scotland Act 1998

Established the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government. Defines the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament by reference to reserved matters listed in Schedule 5. All matters not reserved are devolved. Acts of the Scottish Parliament (asp) have the same status as Westminster Acts within devolved competence.

Government of Wales Act 2006

Established the current framework for Welsh devolution. As amended by the Wales Act 2017, it confers legislative competence on Senedd Cymru (the Welsh Parliament) over all matters not reserved to Westminster under Schedule 7A. Replaced the earlier conferred-powers model with a reserved-powers model.

Northern Ireland Act 1998

Established the Northern Ireland Assembly and the power-sharing executive as part of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Defines three categories of matter: excepted (Schedule 2), reserved (Schedule 3), and transferred (everything else). The Assembly may legislate on transferred matters.

Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023

Provided for the revocation of specific retained EU law instruments and removed the special domestic status of retained EU law. Abolished the principle of supremacy of retained EU law and the requirement to interpret domestic law in accordance with retained EU case law. Replaced the "retained EU law" label with "assimilated law".

European Communities Act 1972 (repealed)

The constitutional statute that gave effect to EU law in the United Kingdom for nearly five decades. Section 2(1) provided that directly applicable EU law had legal effect in the UK without further enactment. Repealed by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 on exit day (31 January 2020). Historically significant as the legal mechanism by which the UK participated in the EU legal order.

Law Commissions Act 1965

Established the Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission. Their statutory duty is to keep the law under review and to recommend reform with a view to its systematic development and reform, including codification, the elimination of anomalies, the repeal of obsolete enactments, and the simplification and modernisation of the law.

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