{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/beavers-wales-order-2026/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/beavers-wales-order-2026/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "wsi/2026/18",
  "legislation_title": "The Beavers (Wales) Order 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/beavers-wales-order-2026",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "WILDLIFE, wales\nMade 2 February 2026\nComing into force 4 March 2026\nThe Welsh Ministers make this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 22(5)(a) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (“the 1981 Act”) and regulation 143(1) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (“the 2017 Regulations”).\nFor the purposes of section 26(4)(a) of the 1981 Act, the Welsh Ministers consider that no local authority is affected by this Order.\nThe Welsh Ministers have, in accordance with section 26(4)(a) and (b) of the 1981 Act—\n(a) given any other person affected an opportunity to submit objections or representations with respect to the subject matter of this Order, and\n(b) consulted with Natural Resources Wales, being the advisory body which the Welsh Ministers consider is best able to advise as to whether this Order should be made.\nFor the purposes of regulation 143(1) of the 2017 Regulations, the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that the natural range of the species added to Schedule 2 to those Regulations by this Order includes an area in Great Britain.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "1981 c. 69. The relevant functions of the Secretary of State under this Act, so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales by the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672), and subsequently transferred to the Welsh Ministers by section 162 of, and paragraph 30 of Schedule 11 to, the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32). Parts 1A and 1B of Schedule 9 to the 1981 Act were amended by S.I. 2022/858 in relation to England only, and Part 1B was also amended by S.I. 2015/1180 (W. 78); there are other amendments to Schedule 9 to the 1981 Act but none are relevant."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "S.I. 2017/1012, amended by S.I. 2019/579 and S.I. 2022/858, which applies in relation to England only; there are other amending instruments, but none are relevant. See the definition of “the appropriate authority” in regulation 3(1)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "See the definition of “advisory body” in section 23(3) of the 1981 Act."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/18/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T22:55:55.940208+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}