Statute Law Revision Act 1891

In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed.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. At the start of the parliamentary session in 1853, Lord Cranworth announced his intention to the improvement of the statute law and in March 1853, appointed the Board for the Revision of the Statute Law to repeal expired statutes and continue consolidation, with a wider remit that included civil law. This approach was taken by the Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856 (19 & 20 Vict. c. 64), considered to be the first Statute Law Revision Act. On 17 February 1860, the Attorney General, Sir Richard Bethell told the House of Commons that he had engaged Sir Francis Reilly and A. J. Wood to expurgate the statute book of all acts which, though not expressly repealed, were not in force, working backwards from the present time. == Passage ==

The Statute Law Revision Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 19 March 1891, introduced by the Lord Chancellor, Hardinge Giffard, 1st Earl of Halsbury. The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 4 May 1891 and was committed to a committee of the whole house, The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 6 July 1891 and was committed to a select committee. The select committee was appointed on 6 July 1891, consisting of 9 members with a quorum of three. The select committee made a special reported on 28 July 1891, with amendments. In their report, the committee observed that many statutes for Ireland were obsolete and recommended the passing of consolidation bills for Ireland similar to those enacted for England such as the Sheriffs Act 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 55) and the Coroners Act 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 71). The bill was recommitted to a committee of the whole house, which met on 1 August 1891, and reported on 3 August 1891, with amendments. The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 3 August 1891 and passed, with amendments. The amended bill was considered and agreed to by the House of Lords on 4 August 1891. The bill was granted royal assent on 5 August 1891. == Subsequent developments ==

Following the passing of the act, the Joint Committee for consideration of Statute Law Revision Bills was established in 1892 to strengthen accuracy of future Statute Law Revision Bills. == Repealed enactments ==

Section 1 of the act repealed enactments, listed in the schedule to the act, across six categories: • Expired • Spent • Repealed in general terms • Virtually repealed • Superseded • Obsolete Section 1 of the act also provided that parts of titles, preambles, or recitals specified after the words "In part, namely" in connection with acts mentioned in the first schedule to the act could be omitted from any revised edition of the statutes published by authority, with brief statements about the acts, officers, persons, and things mentioned in those titles/preambles/recitals being added as necessary. Section 1 of the act provided that repeals were subject to the standard Westbury Saving. Section 2 of the act provided that if any repealed enactment had been applied to the Court of the County Palatine of Lancaster or other inferior civil courts, such enactment would be construed as if it were contained in a local and personal act specifically relating to that court, and would have effect accordingly. == See also ==