Acts of Parliament - UK Parliament

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href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/acts-of-parliament/legislation/">Legislation.gov.uk (external link)</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> </div> <div id="content" class="three-column"> <div id="content-small"> <a name="skipToContent"></a> <h1 id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_HeadingOne_ctlHeadingH1_h1Item"> Acts of Parliament </h1> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120226015725im_/http://assets4.parliament.uk/iv/main-large/id_1198.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctlRichMediaControl_SimpleImage_imgMainImage" alt=""/> <div class="inner">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p>Looking for the text of an Act? Do you need the text of the Act in the form it was passed by Parliament or are you looking for a revised version of the Act incorporating any changes that have been made by subsequent legislation?</p> </div>   <div id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctlMainBody_wrapperDiv" class="rte"> <p></p><div> <h3>Finding the text of Acts</h3> <h3>Text of Acts as passed</h3> <p>Texts of Acts of Parliament as originally passed by Parliament since 1988 are available on the Legislation.gov.uk website. The Parliamentary Archives has copies of original Acts from 1497.</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120226015725/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/">Legislation.gov.uk</a> (external site) </p></li> <li> <p><a href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/parliamentary-archives/archives-practical/enquiry-services/">Contact the Parliamentary Archives</a> </p></li></ul> <h3>Text of Acts as amended</h3> <p>Texts of Acts of Parliament incorporating changes made by later Acts or delegated legislation are also available on the Legislation.gov.uk web site. The database contains all Acts still in force with Acts dating back as far as 1267.</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120226015725/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/">Legislation.gov.uk</a> (external site) </p></li></ul> </div> </div>  </div> </div> <div id="panel"> <div class="local-module">  <h2>Related Information</h2>  <div class="local-module-content"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <strong>Bills v Acts</strong> </a> </div> <div class="itemText">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p> </p><div> <p>A Bill is not an Act of Parliament. This is what a Bill becomes if approved by a majority in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and formally agreed to by the reigning monarch (known as Royal Assent). An Act of Parliament is a law, enforced in all areas of the UK where it is applicable.</p> </div> </div>  <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/acts/">More on Acts</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="local-module">  <h2>Glossary Set</h2>  <div class="local-module-content"> </div> <div class="thumbnail-image-list"> <ul> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_ctlSetSubPages_rptRelatedPages_ctl01_liItem" class="no-image last"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_ctlSetSubPages_rptRelatedPages_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <strong>Royal Assent</strong> </a> </div> <div class="itemText"> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <p class="marker">Footer links</p> <ul> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/azindex/">A-Z index</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/">Glossary</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl03_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/contact-us/">Contact us</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl04_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/">Freedom of Information</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl05_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/job-opportunities/">Jobs</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl06_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/using-this-website/">Using this website</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl07_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/">Copyright</a></li> <li class="last"><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl08_hypLink" href="/web/20120226015725/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/privacy/">Cookies</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ Sys.Application.initialize(); //]]> </script> </form> <script type="text/javascript"> /*<![CDATA[*/ var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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Acts of Parliament - UK Parliament