Extent

26.12The extent of a Bill is a statement that it forms part of the law of one of the three separate legal jurisdictions which together cover the entirety of the United Kingdom – the law of England and Wales, the law of Scotland and the law of Northern Ireland. A bill is said to extend to one or more of these parts. The extent of the bill or particular provisions within it is often expressed in the last clause. Extent is distinct from application. A bill may extend to a part of the United Kingdom even if it does not have effect in the whole of that part of the United Kingdom. Thus a bill may extend to England and Wales even if it applies only in England. Additional legislative procedures in relation to certain bills with a limited territorial application within the United Kingdom are considered in Chapter 27.