{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998/section-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998/section-3.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/42",
  "legislation_title": "Human Rights Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998",
  "path": "section/3",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Interpretation of legislation.",
  "text": "(1) So far as it is possible to do so, primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights.\n(2) This section—\n(a) applies to primary legislation and subordinate legislation whenever enacted;\n(b) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible primary legislation; and\n(c) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible subordinate legislation if (disregarding any possibility of revocation) primary legislation prevents removal of the incompatibility.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 3 excluded (25.4.2024) by Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 (c. 8), ss. 2(5)(b), 3, 10(1) (with ss. 4, 10(2))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "excluded",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2023/37",
      "affecting_title": "Illegal Migration Act 2023"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded by 1997 c. 43, s. 34A (as inserted)",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2024/21",
      "affecting_title": "Victims and Prisoners Act 2024"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded by 2003 c. 44, s. 268A (as inserted)",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2024/21",
      "affecting_title": "Victims and Prisoners Act 2024"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded by 2012 c. 10, s. 128(7) (as inserted)",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2024/21",
      "affecting_title": "Victims and Prisoners Act 2024"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/section/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:17.225458+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."
}