Preparation and Research Tasks
The preparation and research stages of the editorial process are made up of several tasks which taken together prepare new legislation and its effects on existing legislation for publication on legislation.gov.uk.
See also Preparation Task Issues (duplicate tasks, etc.).
Preparation Tasks - Identify Effects
The first thing we do is analyse new legislation carefully to identify its impact on other legislation, such as amendments to the text of existing legislation and any effects that, while not actually changing the text, expressly alter its scope or application, etc. — such as when provisions are said to be "applied", "extended" or "modified". The new legislation may also bring the existing legislation, or part of it, into force.
Preparation Tasks - Record Effects
The effects on other legislation are then recorded using an MS Excel template. This is then added to the "Changes to Legislation" facility on the website. The recorded information also forms the starting point for the revision of legislation in later stages of the editorial process.
Recording effects for Commencement Orders.
Research Tasks - Initial Edit
Certain other information about new legislation, such as when it comes into force, its geographical extent and whether it contains powers to make subordinate legislation, is also recorded within the legislation data. This information is used in setting up the timeline, in force annotations and extent facilities for the legislation and its provisions on the website. Once this information has been entered the new legislation is deployed to the website as the "Latest Available (Revised)" version.
Research Tasks - Secondary Effects Research
The secondary effects research task involves recording effects on secondary legislation that have not previously been captured in TOES so that we can use them to update secondary legislation.
Secondary effects research is almost identical to the record effects and record effects review tasks and the Record Effects Wiki guidance also applies to it.
Identify Effects, Record Effects and Initial Edit Workflow
Although not part of the Preparation Tasks, the Initial Edit task uses information captured during the Preparation Tasks in the Identify Effects stage, as shown in the following workflow:
