Statutory Declarations Act 1835

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
Citation1835 c. 62
Year1835
Anno Regni GULIELMI IV. Britanniarum Regis,Quinto. An Act to repeal an Act of the present Session of Parliament, intituledAn Act for the more effectual Abolition of Oaths and Affirmations taken and made in various Departments of the State, and to substitute Declarations in lieu thereof, and for the more entire Suppression of voluntary and extra-judicial Oaths and Affidavits ; and to make other Provisions for the Abolition of unnecessary Oaths.

(5 & 6 Will. 4) C A P. LXII.

[9th September 1835]

'WHEREAS an Act was passed in the present Session of Parliament, intituled ; and it was thereby enacted that the said Act should commence and take effect from and after the First Day ofJune in this present Year, the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, it not being intended that the said recited Act should take effect before the same received the Royal Assent: And whereas the said recited Act did not receive the Royal Assent till after the said First Day of June One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five: And whereas it was enacted by the said recited Act, that from and after the First Day of June next ensuing it should not be lawful for any Justice of the Peace to administer or receive such voluntary Oaths as are therein mentioned, it being intended that the said Prohibition should take effect from the Time of the Commencement of the said recited Act: And whereas it is expedient to amend the said Act, and to make some further Provisions for the better effecting the Object thereof, and to consolidate all the Provisions relating thereto into One Act:' be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this Act the said recited Act shall be and the same is hereby repealed.

S-II Lords of the Treasury empowered to substitute a Declaration in lieu of an Oath, &c. in certain Cases.

II Lords of the Treasury empowered to substitute a Declaration in lieu of an Oath, &c. in certain Cases.

II. And be it further enacted, That in any Case where, by any Act or Acts made or to be made relating to the Revenues of Customs or Excise, the Post Office, the Office of Stamps and Taxes, the Office of Woods and Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, the War Office, the Army Pay Office, the Office of the Treasurer of the Navy, the Accountant General of the Navy, or the Ordnance, His Majesty's Treasury,Chelsea Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, the Board of Trade, or any of the Offices of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, the India Board, the Office for auditing the Public Accounts, the National Debt Office, or any Office under the Control, Direction, or Superintendence of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, or by any official Regulation in any Department, any Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit might, but for the passing of this Act, be required to be taken or made by any Person on the doing of any Act, Matter, or Thing, or for the Purpose of verifying any Book, Entry, or Return, or for any other Purpose whatsoever, it shall be lawful for the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury or any Three of them, if they shall so think fit, by Writing under their Hands and Seals, to substitute a Declaration to the same Effect as the Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit which might but for the passing of this Act be required to be taken or made; and the Person who might under the Act or Acts imposing the same be required to take or make such Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit shall, in Presence of the Commissioners, Collector, other Officer or Person empowered by such Act or Acts to administer such Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit, make and subscribe such Declaration, and every such Commissioner, Collector, other Officer or Person is hereby empowered and required to administer the same accordingly.

S-III Declaration substituted to be published in the Gazette, and after 21 Days from the Date thereof the Provisions of this Act to apply;

III Declaration substituted to be published in the Gazette, and after 21 Days from the Date thereof the Provisions of this Act to apply;

III. And be it enacted, That when the said Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury or any Three of them shall, in any such Case as herein-before mentioned, have substituted, in Writing under their Hands and Seals, a Declaration in lieu of an Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit, such Lords Commissioners shall, so soon as conveniently may be, cause a Copy of the Instrument substituting such Declaration to be inserted and published in theLondon Gazette ; and from and after the Expiration of Twenty-one Days next following the Day of the Date of the Gazette wherein the Copy of such Instrument shall have been published, the Provisions of this Act shall extend and apply to each and every Case specified in such Instrument, as well and in the same Manner as if the same were specified and named in this Act.

S-IV and no Oath to be administered where such Declaration has been directed.

IV and no Oath to be administered where such Declaration has been directed.

IV. And be it enacted, That after the Expiration of the said Twenty-one Days it shall not be lawful for any Commissioner, Collector Officer, or other Person to administer or cause to be administered, or receive or cause to be received, any Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit, in the lieu of which such Declaration as aforesaid shall have been directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to be substituted.

S-V False Declarations in Matters relating to certain Revenues a Misdemeanor.

V False Declarations in Matters relating to certain Revenues a Misdemeanor.

V. And be it enacted, That if any Person shall make and subscribe any such Declaration as herein-before mentioned in lieu of any Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit by any Act or Acts relating to the Revenues of Customs or Excise, Stamps and Taxes, or Post Office, required to be made on the doing of any Act, Matter, or Thing, or for verifying any Book, Account, Entry, or Return, or for any Purpose whatsoever, and shall wilfully make therein any false Statements as to any material Particular, the Person making the same shall be deemed guilty of a Misdemeanor.

S-VI Oath of Allegiance still to be required in all Cases.

VI Oath of Allegiance still to be required in all Cases.

VI. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or apply to the Oath of Allegiance in any Case in which the same now is or may be required to be taken by any Person who may be appointed to any Office, but that such Oath of Allegiance shall continue to be required, and shall be administered and taken, as well and in the same Manner as if this Act had not been passed.

S-VII Oaths in Courts of Justice, &c. still to be taken.

VII Oaths in Courts of Justice, &c. still to be taken.

VII. Provided also, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or apply to any Oath, solemn Affirmation, or Affidavit which now is or hereafter may be made or taken, or be required to be made or taken, in any Judicial Proceeding in any Court of Justice, or in any Proceeding for or by way of summary Conviction before any Justice or Justices of the Peace, but all such Oaths, Affirmations, and Affidavits, shall continue to be required, and to be administered, taken, and made, as well and in the same Manner as if this Act had not been passed.

S-VIII Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and other Bodies, may substitute a Declaration in lieu of...

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