Interpretation Act 1978

• • F13“Act” means an Act of Parliament.

  • “Associated state” means a territory maintaining a status of association with the United Kingdom in accordance with the M10West Indies Act 1967. [16th February 1967]

  • “Bank of England” means, as the context requires, the Governor and Company of the Bank of England or the bank of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England.

  • “Bank of Ireland” means, as the context requires, the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland or the bank of the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland.

  • “British Islands” means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. [1889]

  • F14“British overseas territory” has the same meaning as in the British Nationality Act 1981;

  • “British possession” means any part of Her Majesty’s dominions outside the United Kingdom; and where parts of such dominions are under both a central and a local legislature, all parts under the central legislature are deemed, for the purposes of this definition, to be one British possession. [1889]

  • F15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • “Building regulations”, in relation to England and Wales, F16has the meaning given by section 122 of the Building Act 1984

  • “Central funds”, in an enactment providing in relation to England and Wales for the payment of costs out of central funds, means money provided by Parliament.

  • F17“Charity Commission” means the Charity Commission for England and Wales (see section 13 of the Charities Act 2011).

  • “Church Commissioners” means the Commissioners constituted by the M11Church Commissioners Measure 1947.

  • F18“Civil partnership” means a civil partnership which exists under or by virtue of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (and any reference to a civil partner is to be read accordingly).

  • “Colonial legislature”, and “legislature” in relation to a British possession, mean the authority, other than the Parliament of the United Kingdom or Her Majesty in Council, competent to make laws for the possession. [1889]

  • “Colony” means any part of Her Majesty’s dominions outside the British Islands except—

    1. a

       countries having fully responsible status within the Commonwealth;

    2. b

       territories for whose external relations a country other than the United Kingdom is responsible;

    3. c

       associated states:

    and where parts of such dominions are under both a central and a local legislature, all parts under the central legislature are deemed for the purposes of this definition to be one colony. [1889]

  • “Commencement”, in relation to an Act or enactment, means the time when the Act or enactment comes into force.

  • “Committed for trial” means—

    1. a

       F19in relation to England and Wales, committed in custody or on bail by a magistrates’ court pursuant to F20section 6 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, or by any judge or other authority having power to do so, with a view to trial before a judge and jury; [1889]

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, committed in custody or on bail by a magistrates’ court pursuant to F21Article 37 of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, or by a court, judge, resident magistrate F22. . . or other authority having power to do so, with a view to trial on indictment. [1st January 1979]

  • F78“The EU” or “the EU Treaties” and other expressions defined by section 1 of and Schedule 1 to the M12European Communities Act 1972 have the meanings prescribed by that Act.

  • “Comptroller and Auditor General” means the Comptroller-General of the receipt and issue of Her Majesty’s Exchequer and Auditor-General of Public Accounts F23. . . .

  • “Consular officer” has the meaning assigned by Article 1 of the Vienna Convention set out in Schedule 1 to the M13Consular Relations Act 1968.

  • F24 “The Corporation Tax Acts” means the enactments relating to the taxation of the income and chargeable gains of companies and of company distributions (including provisions relating to income tax);

  • “County court” means—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, F73the county court established under section A1 ofF25the County Courts Act 1984; [1846]

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, a court held F77for a division under the County Courts F26(Northern Ireland) Order 1980. [1889]

  • “Court of Appeal” means—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, Her Majesty’s Court of Appeal in England;

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, Her Majesty’s Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.

  • F27“Court of Judicature” means the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland.

  • “Court of summary jurisdiction”, “summary conviction” and “Summary Jurisdiction Acts”, in relation to Northern Ireland, have the same meanings as in Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

  • “Crown Court” means—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, the Crown Court constituted by section 4 of the M14Crown Courts Act 1971;

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, the Crown Court constituted by section 4 of the M15Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.

  • “Crown Estate Commissioners” means the Commissioners referred to in section 1 of the M16Crown Estate Act 1961.

  • F28“EEA agreement” means the agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992, together with the Protocol adjusting that Agreement signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993, as modified or supplemented from time to time. [The date of the coming into force of this paragraph.]

  • “EEA state”, in relation to any time, means—

    1. a

       a state which at that time is a member State; or

    2. b

       any other state which at that time is a party to the EEA agreement. [The date of the coming into force of this paragraph.]

  • F29“Enactment” F79 includes any retained direct EU legislation but does not include an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

  • “England” means, subject to any alteration of boundaries under Part IV of the M17Local Government Act 1972, the area consisting of the counties established by section 1 of that Act, Greater London and the Isles of Scilly. [1st April 1974].

  • “Financial year” means, in relation to matters relating to the Consolidated Fund, the National Loans Fund, or moneys provided by Parliament, or to the Exchequer or to central taxes or finance, the twelve months ending with 31st March. [1889]

  • “Governor-General” includes any person who for the time being has the powers of the Governor-General, and “Governor”, in relation to any British possession, includes the officer for the time being administering the government of that possession. [1889]

  • F30“Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.

  • “High Court” means—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice in England;

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland.

  • F31“The Immigration Acts” has the meaning given by F32section 61 of the UK Borders Act 2007.

  • “The Income Tax Acts” means all enactments relating to income tax, including any provisions of the Corporation Tax Acts which relate to income tax.

  • “Land” includes building and other structures, land covered with water, and any estate, interest, easement, servitude or right in or over land. [1st January 1979].

  • “Lands Clauses Acts” means—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, the M18Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 and the M19Lands Clauses Consolidation Acts Amendment Act 1860, and any Acts for the time being in force amending those Acts; [1889]

    2. b

       in relation to Scotland, the M20Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1845 and the M21Lands Clauses Consolidation Acts Amendment Act 1860, and any Acts for the time being in force amending those Acts; [1889]

    3. c

       in relation to Northern Ireland, the enactments defined as such by section 46(1) of the M22Interpretation Act Northern Ireland) 1954. [1889]

  • “Local land charges register”, in relation to England and Wales, means F75the register kept pursuant to section 3 of the M23Local Land Charges Act 1975, F76...

  • F33“Local policing body” has the meaning given by section 101(1) of the Police Act 1996.

  • “London borough” means a borough described in Schedule 1 to the M24London Government Act 1963, “inner London borough” means one of the boroughs so described and numbered from 1 to 12 and “outer London borough” means one of the boroughs so described and numbered from 13 to 32, subject (in each case) to any alterations made under Part IV of the M25Local Government Act 1972 F34, Part 2 of the Local Government Act 1992 or Part 1 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

  • “Lord Chancellor” means the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

  • “Magistrates’ court” has the meaning assigned to it—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, by F35section 148 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980;

    2. b

       in relation to Northern Ireland, by F36Article 2(2) of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

  • “Month” means calendar month. [1850]

  • “National Debt Commissioners” means the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.

  • “Northern Ireland legislation” has the meaning assigned by section 24(5) of this Act. [1st January 1979]

  • “Oath” and “affidavit” include affirmation and declaration, and “swear” includes affirm and declare.

  • F37“Officer of a provider of probation services” in relation to England and Wales, has the meaning given by section 9(1) of the Offender Management Act 2007;” and

  • F38“Officer of Revenue and Customs” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.

  • “Ordnance Map” means a map made under powers conferred by the M26Ordnance Survey Act 1841 or the M27Boundary Survey (Ireland) Act 1854.

  • “Parliamentary Election” means the election of a Member to serve in Parliament for a constituency. [1889]

  • F39“PAYE income” has the meaning given by section 683 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

  • “PAYE regulations” means regulations under section 684 of that Act.

  • “Person” includes a body of persons corporate or unincorporate. [1889]

  • F40“Police and crime commissioner” means a police and crime commissioner established under section 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

  • “Police area” F41. . . and other expressions relating to the police have the meaning or effect described—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, by F42section 101(1) of the Police Act 1996;

    2. b

       F43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • F44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • F45“Police Service of Northern Ireland” and “Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve” have the same meaning as in the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000;

  • “The Privy Council” means the Lords and others of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

  • F46“Provider of probation services”, in relation to England and Wales, has the meaning given by section 3(6) of the Offender Management Act 2007;”.

  • F47“Registered” in relation to nurses and midwives, means registered in the register maintained under article 5 of the F48Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 by virtue of qualifications in nursing or midwifery, as the case may be.

  • F49“Registered medical practitioner” means a fully registered person within the meaning of the Medical Act 1983 who holds a licence to practise under that Act.

  • F50“Registered provider of social housing” and “private registered provider of social housing” have the meanings given by section 80 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (and “non-profit” and “profit-making” in connection with a registered provider are to be read in accordance with section 115 of that Act).

  • “Rules of Court” in relation to any court means rules made by the authority having power to make rules or orders regulating the practice and procedure of that court, and in Scotland includes Acts of Adjournal and Acts of Sederunt; and the power of the authority to make rules of court (as above defined) includes power to make such rules for the purpose of any Act which directs or authorises anything to be done by rules of court. [1889]

  • “Secretary of State” means one of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State.

  • F51“Senior Courts” means the Senior Courts of England and Wales.

  • F52“Sent for trial” means, in relation to England and Wales, sent by a magistrates' court to the Crown Court for trial pursuant tosection 51 or 51A of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

  • F53“Sewerage undertaker”, in relation to England and Wales, shall be construed in accordance with section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991.

  • F74“Sheriff” is to be construed in accordance with section 134(2) and (3) of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

  • F54“The standard scale”, with reference to a fine or penalty for an offence triable only summarily,—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, has the meaning given by section 37 of the M28Criminal Justice Act 1982;

    2. b

       in relation to Scotland, has the meaning given by section 225(1) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995;

    3. c

       in relation to Northern Ireland, has the meaning given by Article 5 of the M29Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984.

  • “Statutory declaration” means a declaration made by virtue of the M30Statutory Declarations Act 1835.

  • F55“Statutory maximum”, with reference to a fine or penalty on summary conviction for an offence,—

    1. a

       in relation to England and Wales, means the prescribed sum within the meaning of section 32 of the M31Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980;

    2. b

       in relation to Scotland, means the prescribed sum within the meaning of section 225(8) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; and

    3. c

       in relation to Northern Ireland, means the prescribed sum within the meaning of Article 4 of the Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984.

  • F56“Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

  • F57“The Tax Acts” means the Income Tax Acts and the Corporation Tax Acts.

  • “The Treasury” means the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury.

  • F58“Trust of land” and “trustees of land”, in relation to England and Wales, have the same meanings as in the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996.

  • “United Kingdom” means Great Britain and Northern Ireland. [12th April 1927]

  • F59“Wales” means the combined area of the counties which were created by section 20 of the M32Local Government Act 1972, as originally enacted, but subject to any alteration made under section 73 of that Act (consequential alteration of boundary following alteration of watercourse).

  • F60“Water undertaker”, in relation to England and Wales, shall be construed in accordance with section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991.

  • “Writing” includes typing, printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form, and expressions referring to writing are construed accordingly.

F61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “The Communities” means Euratom, the Economic Community and the Coal and Steel Community, but a reference to any or all of those Communities is to be treated as being or including (as the context requires) a reference to the EU.

• “E.C.S.C. Treaty” means the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, signed at Paris on 18 April 1951.

• “EEA agreement” means the agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2 May 1992, together with the Protocol adjusting that Agreement signed at Brussels on 17 March 1993, as modified or supplemented from time to time, but does not include any retained direct EU legislation. [8 January 2007]

• “EEA state”, in relation to a time, means—

  1. a

     a state which at that time is a member State, or

  2. b

     any other state which at that time is a party to the EEA agreement. [8 January 2007]

• “E.E.C. Treaty” means the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, signed at Rome on 25 March 1957.

• “Entry date” means the date on which the United Kingdom became a member of the Communities (which neither includes nor is a reference to the EU).

• “The EU” or “the European Union” means the European Union, being the Union established by the Treaty on European Union signed at Maastricht on 7 February 1992 (as amended by any later Treaty); and includes, so far as the context permits or requires, Euratom.

• “EU institution” means any institution of the EU.

• “EU instrument” means any instrument issued by an EU institution other than any retained direct EU legislation.

• “Euratom”, “Economic Community” and “Coal and Steel Community” mean respectively the European Atomic Energy Community, the European Economic Community and the European Coal and Steel Community (but see the definition of “the Communities” for provision as to the construction of references to those Communities).

• “Euratom Treaty” means the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, signed at Rome on 25 March 1957.

• “European Court” means the Court of Justice of the European Union.

• “Exit day” (and related expressions) have the same meaning as in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (see section 20(1) to (5) of that Act).

• “Member”, in the expression “member State”, refers to membership of the EU.

• “Retained EU law”, “retained direct minor EU legislation”, “retained direct principal EU legislation” and “retained direct EU legislation” have the same meaning as in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (see sections 6(7), 7(6) and 20(1) of that Act).

• “Retained EU obligation” means an obligation that—

  1. a

     was created or arose by or under the EU Treaties before exit day, and

  2. b

     forms part of retained EU law,

  as modified from time to time.

• “The Treaties” or “the EU Treaties” means the Treaties or EU Treaties, within the meaning given by section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 as that Act had effect immediately before its repeal by section 1 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as at immediately before exit day.