Section 8 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (defamation actions) is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

In subsection (3) for “of justification or fair comment or” substitute “ under section 2 or 3 of the Defamation Act 2013 which is available to him or any defence ”.

In subsection (5) for “the defence of justification” substitute “ a defence under section 2 of the Defamation Act 2013 ”.

Nothing in section 1 or 14 affects any cause of action accrued before the commencement of the section in question.

F2Nothing in sections 2 to 7 or 10 has effect in relation to an action for defamation if the cause of action accrued before the commencement of the section in question.

In determining whether section 8 applies, no account is to be taken of any publication made before the commencement of the section.

Nothing in section 9 or 11 has effect in relation to an action for defamation begun before the commencement of the section in question.

In determining for the purposes of subsection (7)(a) of section 3 whether a person would have a defence under section 4 to any action for defamation, the operation of subsection (5) of this section is to be ignored.

This Act may be cited as the Defamation Act 2013.

F4...This Act extends to England and Wales only.

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Subject to F3subsection (6), the provisions of this Act come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.

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Section 15, subsections (4) to (8) of section 16 and this section come into force on the day on which this Act is passed.