What is this function ?
The compare documents on this website are a comparison between a version of legislation at a particular point in time (the "currency start" date) and the previous version of that legislation.
The compare document is designed to highlight changes made to the legislation by amending legislation. It also shows editorial changes made under the Reprints Act 1984 or Legislation Act 2021 Part 3.
The first page of the compare document shows the currency dates and suffixes of the documents being compared. See FAQ21.
Textual changes are shown within the document. Notes at the end of provisions (Parts, Sections, Schedules etc.) as well as the compilation table at the end of the document will assist in determining the relevant amending legislation, reprint or editorial changes made under the Legislation Act 2021 Part 3.
Compare documents are available in Adobe® PDF (portable document format) and Microsoft® Word. You need the appropriate software installed on your computer to view documents in these formats.
How does this compare document differ from a current or historical version of the legislation ?
The compare document does not have a table of contents or a table of defined terms. These are included in the current and historical versions.
The PDF version of the compare document contains bookmarks that allow you to move directly between changes in the document (i.e. it will skip any part of the document that has not changed). See example below from the navigation pane on the left side of the PDF page.
This view will differ according to the PDF viewer being used.
During the document compare process, Microsoft Word sometimes identifies changes that relate to formatting rather than actual amendments.
Word
The Word version requires the user to open the Review tab at the top of the page. Use the Previous and Next buttons under the Changes group to move between changes in the document.
