The Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 was emergency legislation passed just prior to the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

by 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 suprem ...

to enable the

British Government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_est ...

to take up

emergency powers A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

to prosecute the war effectively. It contained clauses giving the government wide powers to create

Defence Regulations During the Second World War Defence Regulations were a fundamental aspect of everyday life in the United Kingdom. They were emergency regulations passed on the outbreak of war and during it to give the government emergency powers to prosecute the ...

which regulated almost every aspect of everyday life in the country. Two offences under the regulations were punishable with death.

Passage

The Act was passed in reaction to the Nazi–Soviet Pact of 23 August 1939 and provided the government with powers from 24 August 1939. It was originally intended to be in force for only one year, and made general provision for prosecuting the war effort. In particular, it provided for the following:

Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940

The Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940 extended the 1939 Act for another year, and provided for annual extensions by parliamentary resolution. It significantly extended the government's powers under the Defence Regulations to require persons "to place themselves, their services and their property at the disposal of His Majesty." The Emergency Powers (Defence) (No. 2) Act 1940 enabled the creation of special courts to administer criminal justice in war zones, as well as authorizing them to punish offenders for violating the Defence Regulations.

Repeal

The Act was repealed on 25 March 1959 by the Emergency Laws (Repeal) Act 1959, but the last of the Defence Regulations did not expire until 31 December 1964.1959 Act, s. 10

References

Bibliography

* * * {{cite book , last= Leeson, first= David, date= 2012, title= The Encyclopedia of War, chapter=Emergency Powers Acts (1920, 1926, 1939–1940, 1964), editor1-last= Martel, editor1-first= Gordon, publisher= Wiley-Blackwell, isbn= 978-1-40519037-4, editor1-link= Gordon Martel

External links