Chronological Table of Acts of Parliament Extending to the Isle of Man
Chronological Table of Acts of Parliament Extending to the Isle of Man Up to 31st July 2003 Originally compiled by Ken Gumbley (Attorney General's Chambers) This edition edited by Stephen Holmes B.Sc. October 2011 Although the Isle of Man has had its own legislature since the 10th century, the Crown of England legislated in England for the Isle of Man from 14th century onwards. Acts of Parliament extending to the Island i.e. Acts whose provisions form part of Manx law, have always been restricted in scope, not because of any limit of legislative competence in Parliament, but due to constitutional convention and for the sake of convenience. Until late in the 17 th century, such Acts were largely confined to matters ecclesiastical (the Church of England being the established church in the Isle of Man), and constitutional (such as succession to the Crown), but after the revolution of 1688, Parliament began to legislate on more subjects affecting the Isle of Man, such as foreign trade and the armed forces. After the purchase by the British Crown of the Lordship of the Island in 1765, (the “Revestment”), this trend increased but, wartime apart, even at the high tide of Parliamentary legislation for the Island (from about 1860 to 1914), the areas in which Parliament legislated for the Isle of Man were in practice limited to the armed forces, foreign affairs, nationality, extradition, customs and excise, harbours, post and telegraphs, friendly and loan societies, patents and trade marks and sea-fisheries. In some cases both Parliament in Westminster and Tynwald in Douglas have legislated on the same matter, such as ecclesiastical affairs, merchant shipping and copyright. Since World War 1, in general the constitutional development of the Isle of Man has been in the direction of greater autonomy, and in legislative terms this has meant that Tynwald alone legislates in areas which were formerly dealt with by Act of Parliament (such as harbours, indirect taxation, merchant shipping, posts, telecommunications and copyright). Generally speaking, Acts of Parliament may extend to the Isle of Man in one of four ways:
The act may be expressed to extend to the Isle of Man. (Some such Acts contain a power by Order in Council to modify their provisions in their application to the Isle of Man). It may be silent on extension but extend by necessary implication It may contain an enabling power whereby its provisions may be extended to the Isle of Man, with exceptions and modifications, by Order in Council. It may be applied to the Island by or under an Act of Tynwald. This procedure is used where, by agreement between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom Governments, Manx legislation is to be kept in line with that of the UK (e.g. social security & indirect taxation).
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