Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)

E103216

Defence Regulations (United Kingdom) were a comprehensive set of wartime rules and controls enacted during and after the Second World War that granted the government wide-ranging powers over civilian life, the economy, and national security.

All labels observed (7)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (68)

Predicate Object
instanceOf emergency wartime legislation
statutory rules and orders
subordinate legislation
administeredBy Home Office
Ministry of Food
Ministry of Supply
UK central government
linked to: UK government

War Office
appliesDuring Second World War
linked to: World War II
appliesToJurisdiction England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
characteristic conferred very wide discretionary powers on ministers
intended to be temporary emergency measures
significantly curtailed civil liberties
continuedInForceAfter Second World War
linked to: World War II
country United Kingdom
endTime final residual powers expired in the 1950s
gradual repeal between 1945 and early 1950s
most powers lapsed by 1950
enforcedBy civil police
local authorities
military authorities
grantedPower censorship of the press and communications
control of building and planning
control of foreign exchange and financial transactions
control of industry and production
control of labour and direction of manpower
control of lighting and blackout measures
control of prices and rationing of goods
creation of special criminal offences
internment and detention without trial
requisition of land and property
restriction of movement and travel
influenced development of later UK emergency powers legislation
inForceDuring Battle of Britain
Blitz
post-war reconstruction period
legalBasis Emergency Laws (Transitional Provisions) Act 1946
Emergency Powers (Defence) (No. 2) Act 1940
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940
notableProvision Regulation 18B
Regulation 1AA
Regulation 2A
Regulation 39B
Regulation 51
Regulation 55
Regulation 58A
purpose to control the national economy during wartime
to give the government wide emergency powers in time of war
to maintain supplies and essential services
to secure public safety and defence of the realm
regulation18BGrantedPower detention without trial of persons suspected of being a security risk
regulation2AGrantedPower censorship and control of communications
regulation39BGrantedPower blackout and lighting restrictions
regulation51GrantedPower requisition of land and buildings
regulation55GrantedPower broad control over industry and raw materials
regulation58AGrantedPower direction of labour
relatedTo Defence (Agriculture and Fisheries) Regulations
Defence (Finance) Regulations 1939
Defence (General) Regulations 1939
Defence (Transport) Regulations
Emergency Powers (Defence) (Northern Ireland) Regulations
startTime 1939
subjectOf judicial review in UK courts
legal and constitutional controversy

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (9)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 relatedTo Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Home Guard (United Kingdom) governedBy Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Indian Emergency (1975–1977) legalInstrumentUsed Defense of India Rules
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Defence Regulations (United Kingdom) relatedTo Defence (General) Regulations 1939
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Defence Regulations (United Kingdom) relatedTo Defence (Finance) Regulations 1939
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Defence Regulations (United Kingdom) relatedTo Defence (Agriculture and Fisheries) Regulations
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Defence Regulations (United Kingdom) relatedTo Defence (Transport) Regulations
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940 relatedTo Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)
British Union of Fascists bannedUnder Defence Regulation 18B
linked to: Defence Regulations (United Kingdom)