http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/20Tuvalu Act 1978An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment by Tuvalu of independence within the Commonwealth.1986-07-01texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-01-29Expert Participation2009-10-31 1978 c. 20An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment by Tuvalu of independence within the Commonwealth.[30th June 1978]11On and after 1st October 1978 (in this Act referred to as “Independence Day”) Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the government of Tuvalu.2No Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on or after Independence Day shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to Tuvalu as part of its law; and on and after that day the provisions of Schedule 1 of this Act shall have effect with respect to the legislative powers of Tuvalu.241. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3On and after Independence Day the enactments specified in Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments there specified.4Subsection (3) above and Schedule 2 to this Act shall not extend to Tuvalu as part of its law.51In this Act, and in any amendment made by this Act in any other enactment, “Tuvalu” means the territories which immediately before Independence Day constitute the colony of Tuvalu.2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3References in this Act to any enactment are references to that enactment as amended or extended by or under another enactment.6This Act may be cited as the Tuvalu Act 1978.SCHEDULE 1Section 1(2).1The Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865 shall not apply to any law made on or after Independence Day by the legislature of Tuvalu.2No law and no provision of any law made on or after Independence Day by that legislature shall be void or inoperative on the ground that it is repugnant to the law of England, or to the provisions of any Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, including this Act, or to any order, rule or regulation made under any such Act, and accordingly the powers of that legislature shall include the power to repeal or amend any such Act, order, rule or regulation in so far as it is part of the law of Tuvalu.3The legislature of Tuvalu shall have full power to make laws having extraterritorial operation.4Without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions of this Schedule—a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bsection 4 of the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890 (which requires certain laws to be reserved for the signification of Her Majesty’s pleasure or to contain a suspending clause), and so much of section 7 of that Act as requires the approval of Her Majesty in Council to any rules of court for regulating the practice and procedure of a Colonial Court of Admiralty, shall cease to have effect in Tuvalu.SCHEDULE 2Section 4(3).1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2In the Visiting Forces (British Commonwealth) Act 1933, section 4 (attachment and mutual powers of command) shall apply in relation to forces raised in Tuvalu as it applies to forces raised in Dominions within the meaning of the Statute of Westminster 1931.3In the Visiting Forces Act 1952—ain section 1(1)(a) (countries to which the Act applies) at the end there shall be added the words “Tuvalu or”;bin section 10(1)(a), the expression “colony” shall not include Tuvalu;and, until express provision with respect to Tuvalu is made by an Order in Council under section 8 of that Act (application to visiting forces of law relating to home forces), any such Order for the time being in force shall be deemed to apply to visiting forces of Tuvalu.4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5In the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act 1934, the expression “British ship to which this Act applies” shall not include a British ship registered in Tuvalu.6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ss. 2, 3 repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), Sch. 9S. 4(1) repealed by Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30, SIF 115:1), Sch. 3S. 5(2) repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), Sch. 91865 c. 63(26:1).Sch. 1 para. 4(a) repealed (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 21, ss. 314(1), 316(2), Sch. 12 (with ss. 312(1), Sch. 14 para. 1)1890 c. 27(26:1).Sch. 2 para. 1 repealed by International Organisations Act 1981 (c. 9, SIF 68:1), Sch.1933 c. 6(7:3).1931 c. 4(22 & 23 Geo. 5(26:1).1952 c. 67(7:3).The text of s. 4(2)(b) and Sch. 2 paras. 3(a), 4, 8 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.Sch. 2 para. 4 repealed (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 21, ss. 314(1), 316(2), Sch. 12 (with ss. 312(1), Sch. 14 para. 1)1934 c 49(52:3).Sch. 2 para. 6 repealed by Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act 1982 (c. 1, SIF 9), Sch. 2Sch. 2 para. 7 repealed (19.11.1998) by 1998 c. 43, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. IV Group 1Sch. 2 para. 8 repealed (7.1.2003) by 2002 c. 39, ss. 3, 4(2), Sch. 3S. 4(2) repealed (28.3.2009 for specified purposes, 31.10.2009 in so far as not already in force) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), s. 383(2), Sch. 17; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3(a)(b) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4