The Oaths Act 1978 (c 19) is an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

. Part I of the Act applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Section 1 provides that an oath may be administered by the person taking the oath holding the New Testament, or, in the case of a Jew, the Old Testament, in his uplifted hand, and saying or repeating after the officer administering the oath the words "I swear by Almighty God that ...", followed by the words of the oath prescribed by law. In the case of a person who is neither a Christian nor a Jew, the oath shall be administered in any lawful manner. Part II of the Act applies to the whole of the United Kingdom. Section 3 provides that if any person to whom an oath is administered desires to swear with uplifted hand, in the form and manner in which an oath is usually administered in Scotland, he shall be permitted so to do, and the oath shall be administered to him in such form and manner without further question. Section 4(2) provides that lack of religious belief does not affect the validity of an oath. Section 5 provides for the making of a solemn affirmation by a person who objects to being sworn. A solemn affirmation may also be used where it is not reasonably practicable to administer an oath in a manner appropriate to a person's religious beliefs. Section 6 provides that the form of a solemn affirmation is "I, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm ..." followed by the words of the oath prescribed by law, omitting any words of imprecation or calling to witness. Section 7 repealed the

Oaths Act 1838 Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...

, the

Oaths Act 1888 The Oaths Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c.46) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom providing that all required oaths (including the oath of allegiance taken to the Sovereign, required in order to sit in Parliament) may be solemnly affi ...

, the

Oaths Act 1909 Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...

, the

Oaths Act 1961 Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...

and section 8 of the Administration of Justice Act 1977.

External links

Hansard ''Hansard'' is the traditional name of the transcripts of parliamentary debates in Britain and many Commonwealth countries. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard (1776–1833), a London printer and publisher, who was the first official print ...

''Introduction of the Oaths Bill''
23 March 1978 *

''Second Reading of the Oaths Bill''
11 April 1978 *Hansard
''Royal Assent to Oaths Bill''
30 June 1978

References

United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1978 Oaths of allegiance {{UK-statute-stub