{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/defamation-act-1996/section-17",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/defamation-act-1996/section-17.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/31",
  "legislation_title": "Defamation Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/defamation-act-1996",
  "path": "section/17",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "17",
  "heading": "Interpretation.",
  "text": "(1) In this Act—\n“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;\n“statement” means words, pictures, visual images, gestures or any other method of signifying meaning; and\n“statutory provision” means—\n(a)a provision contained in an Act or in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978\n(aa) a provision contained in an Act of the Scottish Parliament or in an instrument made under such an Act,,or\n(b) a statutory provision within the meaning given by section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "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"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 17(2) repealed (S.) (8.8.2022) by Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021 (asp 10), ss. 35(3)(a), 39(2); S.S.I. 2022/154, regs. 1(2), 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1978 c. 30."
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M2",
      "text": "1954 c. 33 (N.I.)."
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "E",
      "label": "E1",
      "text": "S. 17 extends to the United Kingdom; s. 17(2) extends to Scotland see s. 18(1)(2)(3)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/31/section/17",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:31:02.600018+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."
}