Management of amendments

Legislation evolves with time.  Simplifi record amendments to Statutory Instruments (SIs), but do not add them to the website in their own right.  Amendments to the text of original SIs are made as soon after the amendments are published as possible.  The process used is to highlight the amended text in a specific colour and refer to the amendment, in the same colour  in the Recent Amendments box.  A link is provided to guidance of the substance of the amendment.

Over time the number of amendments can increase significantly.  Take, for example, The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596).  This SI has been subject to four hundred and eighty-seven amendments, brought about by thirty-five amending SIs.  The colouring scheme, in this sort of case, has, obviously, become unsustainable.

However, The National Archives publish revised versions of legislation with textural amendments provided with hyperlinks. In cases where the colouring scheme has been deemed to become confusing, such as in the example above, Simplifi will re-start the amendment process, using the revised version of the SI from a specific date.  The date for this re-start will be shown clearly in the brief commentary supporting the legislation on the Simplifi website.  Amendments made, after that date, will, again, be shown in colour and listed in the Recent Amendments box.