Official Secrets Act 1939
Encyclopedia
The Official Secrets Act 1939 (2 & 3 Geo. 6 c. 121) is an Act
of the Parliament
of the United Kingdom
. It substitutes a new section 6 into the Official Secrets Act 1920
, which limits the scope of that offence to offences under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911
(it had formerly applied to all offences under the Official Secrets Act 1911
and to all offences under that Act). It was enacted in reaction to the "Sandys affair" in 1938, when Duncan Sandys
MP was "threatened" with prosecution under section 6 in attempt to get him to disclose who had given information about the inadequate state of the air defences around London to him.
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
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It substitutes a new section 6 into the Official Secrets Act 1920
Official Secrets Act 1920
The Official Secrets Act 1920 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Section 1 - Unauthorised use of uniforms; falsification of reports, forgery, personation, and false documents:Sections 1 and provide:...
, which limits the scope of that offence to offences under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911
Official Secrets Act 1911
The Official Secrets Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaces the Official Secrets Act 1889....
(it had formerly applied to all offences under the Official Secrets Act 1911
Official Secrets Act 1911
The Official Secrets Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaces the Official Secrets Act 1889....
and to all offences under that Act). It was enacted in reaction to the "Sandys affair" in 1938, when Duncan Sandys
Duncan Sandys
Edwin Duncan Sandys, Baron Duncan-Sandys CH PC was a British politician and a minister in successive Conservative governments in the 1950s and 1960s...
MP was "threatened" with prosecution under section 6 in attempt to get him to disclose who had given information about the inadequate state of the air defences around London to him.