Commencement
369.The provisions of the Act will be brought into effect on one or more dates appointed by the Secretary of State by order, with the exception of sections 66 to 69 (provisions concerning devolution, commencement, extent and the short title) and the repeal of section 10 of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960 which comes into effect on 1 July 1999. Sections 2 to 7, 12 and Schedule 1 (Primary Care Trusts) in relation to England and sections 33 to 38 (control of prices of medicines and profits) will be brought into effect on appropriate dates at the earliest opportunity after Royal Assent. It is envisaged that the majority of the remaining provisions of the Act will be in force by April 2000. The sections in Part I of the Act may be brought into effect at different times in England and in Wales. In so far as they affect Wales, the majority of the provisions in Part I will be brought into effect by the National Assembly for Wales, rather than the Secretary of State (see section 66(2)). The Scottish Ministers will exercise the order-making power to bring into force the provisions in Part II of the Act.
