Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939
E18862
The Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 was a key piece of British wartime legislation that granted the government sweeping authority to make defence regulations and control many aspects of civilian life during World War II.
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
ⓘ
emergency legislation ⓘ |
| appliedTo |
civilian population of the United Kingdom
ⓘ
economic activities in the United Kingdom ⓘ property and resources needed for war ⓘ |
| appliesIn |
England
ⓘ
Northern Ireland ⓘ Scotland ⓘ Wales ⓘ |
| cameIntoForce | 1939-08-24 ⓘ |
| constitutionalSignificance |
key statute in the development of the British emergency constitution
ⓘ
major example of delegated legislation in the United Kingdom ⓘ |
| country | United Kingdom ⓘ |
| empowered |
Privy Council
ⓘ
surface form:
His Majesty in Council
the executive government of the United Kingdom ⓘ |
| enablingPower | power to make Defence Regulations ⓘ |
| enactedDuring |
World War II
ⓘ
surface form:
Second World War
World War II ⓘ |
| historicalPeriod | British home front during World War II ⓘ |
| jurisdiction |
Great Britain
ⓘ
Northern Ireland ⓘ |
| languageOfDocument | English ⓘ |
| legalEffect |
authorised extensive delegated legislation
ⓘ
expanded executive power in time of war ⓘ limited ordinary peacetime civil rights ⓘ |
| legislativeBody |
British Parliament
ⓘ
surface form:
Parliament of the United Kingdom
|
| longTitle | An Act to confer on His Majesty in Council power to make Defence Regulations and provide for the detention of persons in the interests of the public safety or the defence of the realm, and for purposes connected therewith ⓘ |
| purpose |
to control many aspects of civilian life during wartime
ⓘ
to enable the making of Defence Regulations by Order in Council ⓘ to grant the government emergency powers for the defence of the realm ⓘ to provide for the detention of persons in the interests of public safety ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
ⓘ
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940 ⓘ
surface form:
Emergency Powers (Defence) (No. 2) Act 1940
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940 ⓘ Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940 ⓘ
surface form:
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1945
|
| repealed | true ⓘ |
| repealedStatus | spent and repealed after World War II ⓘ |
| royalAssent | 1939-08-24 ⓘ |
| shortTitle | Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 self-link ⓘ |
| subjectMatter |
civil liberties during wartime
ⓘ
defence of the realm ⓘ public safety ⓘ wartime economic control ⓘ |
| typeOfPowerGranted |
control of information and censorship
ⓘ
control of labour and employment ⓘ control of movement and travel ⓘ power of detention without ordinary trial ⓘ regulatory control over industry ⓘ |
| yearEnacted | 1939 ⓘ |
Referenced by (2)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.