Section 17 Interpretation.I1

United Kingdom

I2(1)

In this Act—

“publication” and “publish”, in relation to a statement, have the meaning they have for the purposes of the law of defamation generally, but “publisher” is specially defined for the purposes of section 1;
“statement” means words, pictures, visual images, gestures or any other method of signifying meaning; and
“statutory provision” means—
1. (a)
  a provision contained in an Act or in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the M1Interpretation Act 1978

F1(aa)

a provision contained in an Act of the Scottish Parliament or in an instrument made under such an Act,,or

(b)

a statutory provision within the meaning given by section 1(f) of the M2Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Annotations

F1: S. 17(1)(aa) inserted (6.5.1999) by 1998 c. 46, s. 125, Sch. 8, para. 33(2)(with s. 126(3)-(11)); S. I. 1998/3178, art. 2(2), Sch. 3
F2: S. 17(2) repealed (S.) (8.8.2022) by Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021 (asp 10), ss. 35(3)(a), 39(2); S.S.I. 2022/154, regs. 1(2), 2

I1: S. 17 partly in force; s. 17 partly in force at Royal Assent see s. 19(2)(3); s. 17 in force for certain purposes at 1.4.1999 by S.I. 1999/817, art. 2(a); s. 17(1) fully in force for E.W. at 28.2.2000 by S.I. 2000/222, art. 3; s. 17 in force for S. at 31.3.2001 insofar as not already in force by S.S.I. 2001/98, art. 3(b)(ii)
I2: S. 17(1) in force at 6.1.2010 for N.I. in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2009/2858, art. 3(d)

E1: S. 17 extends to the United Kingdom; s. 17(2) extends to Scotland see s. 18(1)(2)(3).