module CALCULATION_BICAMERAL_SI_EITHER_HOUSE_SITTING

A method for calculating the end date of a scrutiny period, based on days on which either House must be sitting or on a short adjournment.

This method is used for bicameral negative Statutory Instruments as set out by the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 and for made affirmative Statutory Instruments as set out by their enabling Act.

The calculation is set out in paragraph 1 Section 7 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, though a different calculation may be required if the instrument is laid under another Act - as per paragraph 3.

This method is also used for calculations of scrutiny periods for proposed draft remedial orders and draft affirmative remedial orders and for scrutiny and approval periods for made affirmative remedial orders as set out in Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The calculation counts in actual sitting days, requiring the start date and the number of days to count.

   def bicameral_si_either_house_sitting_calculation( date, target_day_count )

We start counting on the first day either House has a scrutiny day.

For negative Statutory Instruments this will be the day on which the instrument was laid, if that day was a scrutiny day. For made negative Statutory Instruments, this is set out in paragraph 1 of Section 5 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946. For draft negative Statutory Instruments, this is set out in paragraph 1 of Section 6 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946.

For made affirmatives this will be the day on which the instrument was made, if that day was a scrutiny day.

For proposed draft remedial orders and draft affirmative remedial orders, this will be the day on which the instrument was laid, if that day was a scrutiny day. For proposed draft remedial orders, this is set out in paragraph 3(1)(a) of Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998. For draft affirmative remedial orders, this is set out in paragraph 2(a) of Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

For made affirmative remedial orders, this will be the day on which the instrument was made, if that day was a scrutiny day. For the scrutiny period of a made affirmative remedial order, this is set out in paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998. For the approval period of a made affirmative remedial order, this is set out in paragraph 4(4) of Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

If the laying day - or the making day for made affirmative instruments - is a scrutiny day in at least one House, we don't have to cycle through the calendar to find a subsequent one ...

     if date.is_either_house_scrutiny_day?

... and the laying or making day is the start of the scrutiny period.

       @scrutiny_start_date = date

Otherwise, the laying or making day is not a scrutiny day in at least one House, then ...

     else

... if there is a future scrutiny day in either House ...

       if date.first_scrutiny_day_in_either_house

... we set the date to that day.

         date = date.first_scrutiny_day_in_either_house

... we have found the start of the scrutiny period.

         @scrutiny_start_date = date

If we didn't find a future scrutiny day in either House in our calendar, we can't calculate the scrutiny period, ...

       else

... this error message is displayed ...

         @error_message = "Unable to find a future scrutiny day in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It's not currently possible to calculate an anticipated end date, as the likely end date occurs during a period for which sitting days are yet to be announced."

... and we stop looking for a scrutiny period end date.

         return

       end

     end

We've found the first scrutiny day in either House so we start counting from day 1.

     day_count = 1

Whilst the number of scrutiny days we’re counting is less than the target number of days to count ...

     while ( day_count < target_day_count ) do

... continue to the next day.

       date = date.next_day

... and add 1 to the day count if this is a scrutiny day in either House.

       day_count +=1 if date.is_either_house_scrutiny_day?

... if the calendar has no record of what type of day this is, we can't calculate the end date, ...

       if date.is_calendar_not_populated?

... this error message is displayed to users ...

         @error_message = "It's not currently possible to calculate an anticipated end date, as the likely end date occurs during a period for which sitting days are yet to be announced."

... and we stop looking through the calendar.

         break

       end

     end

Return the anticipated end date of the scrutiny period for display.

     date

   end

 end