Customs (Repeal) Act 1833

In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed. Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, published in the late 18th century, raised questions about the system and structure of the common law and the poor drafting and disorder of the existing statute book. In 1806 the Commission on Public Records passed a resolution requesting the production of a report on the best mode of reducing the volume of the statute book. From 1810 to 1825, The Statutes of the Realm was published, providing for the first time the authoritative collection of acts. In 1810, the Lords of the Treasury asked Nicholas Jickling to produce a Digest of the Laws of the Customs, which was published in 1815, numbering 1,375 pages from the earliest period to 53 Geo. 3. This Digest was continuously published to bring the state of the law up to date to the end of every session. In 1814, the Commission of Public Records published their 14th Report, recommending consolidation of the statute law. In 1822, the Navigation and Commerce Act 1822 (3 Geo. 4. c. 43) was passed to encourage shipping and navigation. The Repeal of Acts Concerning Importation Act 1822 (3 Geo. 4. c. 41) and the Repeal of Acts Concerning Importation (No. 2) Act 1822 (3 Geo. 4. c. 42) were passed at the same time to repealed related inconsistent or obsolete enactments. In 1823, the Customs and Excise Act 1823 (4 Geo. 4. c. 23) was passed, which consolidate the several Boards of Customs, and also, the several Boards of Excise across the United Kingdom. By a letter dated 9 August 1823, Secretary to the Treasury, John Charles Herries , asked J. D. Hume, Controller of the Port of London, to "undertake the preparation of a general law, or set of laws, for the consolidation of the customs of the United Kingdom". In 1825, eleven customs acts were passed to consolidate to all practical purposes the whole statute law of the customs by repealing the numerous existing customs statutes and replace them with new, more clearly written laws. The acts simplified tariff schedules, to make it easier for traders to understand duties, revised penalties for customs offences to ensure fair and consistent enforcement and introduced standardised procedures for customs declarations, to reduce administrative burdens and increase efficiency at ports. • Customs, etc. Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 106) • Customs, etc. (No. 2) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 107) • Customs, etc. (No. 3) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 108) • Customs, etc. (No. 4) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 109) • Customs, etc. (No. 5) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 110) • Customs, etc. (No. 6) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 111) • Customs, etc. (No. 7) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 112) • Customs, etc. (No. 8) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 113) • Customs, etc. (No. 9) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 114) • Customs, etc. (No. 10) Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 115) • Passenger Vessels Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4 c. 116) In 1825, the Customs Law Repeal Act 1825 (6 Geo. 4. c. 105) was passed to repeal 443 related enactments. In 1826, the Customs Act 1826 (7 Geo. 4. c. 48) was passed, which reversed the repeal of several enactments. In 1827, the Excise Management Act 1827 (7 & 8 Geo. 4. c. 53) was passed, which consolidated enactments relating to the collection and management of customs. In 1833, eleven customs bills were proposed to further amend and consolidate the customs law. == Passage ==

On 30 March 1833, the Committee on Customs Acts resolved to bring in a bill or bills to consolidate and amend the acts in force relating to the Revenue of Customs. Leave to bring in the Customs Acts Repeal Bill was granted to the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, Charles Poulett Thomson , and the chancellor of the exchequer, John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer , on 6 August 1833 and the bill had ts first reading in the House of Commons on 6 August 1833, presented by Charles Poulett Thomson . The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 17 August 1833 and was committed to a Committee of the Whole House, which met and reported on 19 August 1833, without amendments. The bill had its third reading in the House of Lords on 20 August 1833 and passed, with amendments. The amended bill was considered and agreed to by the House of Commons on 22 August 1833. The bill was granted royal assent on 28 August 1833. == Subsequent developments ==

In 1833, eleven customs acts were passed to further amend and consolidate the customs law: • Customs, etc. Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 51) • Customs, etc. (No. 2) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 52) • Customs, etc. (No. 3) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 53) • Customs, etc. (No. 4) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 54) • Customs, etc. (No. 5) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 55) • Customs, etc. (No. 6) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 56) • Customs, etc. (No. 7) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 57) • Customs, etc. (No. 8) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 58) • Customs, etc. (No. 9) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 59) • Customs, etc. (No. 10) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 60) • Customs, etc. (No. 11) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 61) Most of the act was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1874 (37 & 38 Vict. c. 96): Part of section 3 was repealed by the Statute Law Revision (No. 2) Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 57): The whole act was repealed by section 1(1) of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1960 (8 & 9 Eliz. 2. c. 56). == Repealed enactments ==

Section 2 of the act repealed 24 enactments, listed in that section, to take effect on 1 September 1833. The section included exceptions for: • Any repeals of former acts contained within the acts being repealed, which remain in effect. • Arrears of duties or drawbacks that had become due and payable prior to this act. • Any penalty or forfeiture which had been incurred under the previous acts. Section 3 of the act repealed all acts relating to revenue of customs, navigation or smuggling, except for those listed in that section. Section 4 of the act further repealed parts of 2 acts, to take effect on 1 January 1834: Section 5 of the act provided that nothing in the act would extend to prevent any foreign seaman employed in navigating any vessel in the Southern Whale Fishery under the authority of Southern Whale Fisheries Act 1795 (35 G. 3. c. 92) or Customs Act 1826 (7 G. 4. c. 48) from continuing such employment with the "rights and privileges of British Seamen". Section 6 of the act provided that the act may be altered, varies or repealed by any act passed in the present session. == See also ==