Meeting of Parliament Act 1797
Encyclopedia
The Meeting of Parliament Act 1797 (37. Geo. III, c. 127) was an Act of Parliament
of the Parliament of Great Britain
passed in 1797.
Section 1 established that 14 days were to elapse from the proclamation of a new Parliament to the meeting of Parliament.
Section 3 enacted that in case of the demise of the monarch after one Parliament had been dissolved, but before the day indicated by the Writ of Summons for electing a new Parliament, then the previous Parliament (ie, that which had been dissolved) was to be recalled immediately to Westminster. It would there sit as a parliament for the next six months, to all intents and purposes as though it had not been previously dissolved; it could, however, be dissolved or prorogued at any point during this time by the new monarch. A new writ would be issued, and the election would take place.
Section 5 provided that if the monarch died after the date of the election, then the newly-elected Parliament would meet as normal.
Section 1 was amended in 1943 to remove the 14-day limit. The rest of the Act has been repealed.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
passed in 1797.
Section 1 established that 14 days were to elapse from the proclamation of a new Parliament to the meeting of Parliament.
Section 3 enacted that in case of the demise of the monarch after one Parliament had been dissolved, but before the day indicated by the Writ of Summons for electing a new Parliament, then the previous Parliament (ie, that which had been dissolved) was to be recalled immediately to Westminster. It would there sit as a parliament for the next six months, to all intents and purposes as though it had not been previously dissolved; it could, however, be dissolved or prorogued at any point during this time by the new monarch. A new writ would be issued, and the election would take place.
Section 5 provided that if the monarch died after the date of the election, then the newly-elected Parliament would meet as normal.
Section 1 was amended in 1943 to remove the 14-day limit. The rest of the Act has been repealed.
See also
- Parliament Act 1911Parliament Act 1911The Parliament Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords which make up the Houses of Parliament. This Act must be construed as one with the Parliament Act 1949...
- Prorogation Act 1867Prorogation Act 1867The Prorogation Act 1867 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which is still in force in the United Kingdom with amendments....
- Representation of the People Act 1918Representation of the People Act 1918The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
- Succession to the Crown Act 1707Succession to the Crown Act 1707The Succession to the Crown Act 1707 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of Great Britain which is still in force in the United Kingdom, with amendments...