HC Deb 09 March 1915 vol 70 cc1355-6

(1) Every enactment and word which is directed by this Act to be substituted for or added to any portion of the Naval Discipline Act shall form part of that Act in the place assigned to it by this Act, and the Naval Discipline Act, and all Acts which refer thereto, shall after the commencement of this Act be construed as if that enactment or word had been originally enacted in the Naval Discipline Act in the place so assigned, and, where it is substituted for another enactment or word, had been so enacted in lieu of that enactment or word, and as if the Naval Discipline Act had been enacted with the omission of any enactment or word which is directed by the Schedule to this Act to be omitted from that Act, and the expression "this Act" in the Naval Discipline Act shall be construed accordingly.

(2) A copy of the Naval Discipline Act with every such enactment and word inserted in the place so assigned, and with the omission of any portion of that Act directed by the Schedule to this Act to be omitted from that Act, and with the substitution of references to His Majesty for references to Her Majesty shall be prepared and certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments and deposited with the rolls of Parliament, and His Majesty's printers shall print, in accordance with the copy so certified all copies of the Naval Discipline Act which are printed after the commencement of this Act.

Mr. HEALY

Perhaps the right hon. and learned Gentleman will give some explanation of Sub-section (2). It is a most desirable thing in the case of such complicated provisions as these. I only want to know, as in the case of the Army Act, how it becomes necessary in the Navy Act. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman is not prepared to reply now, perhaps he will give a reply on the Report stage.

Sir J. SIMON

In the case of the Army Act it has been for many years the custom to reprint all the Amendments made, so that those who wished to see those Amendments might have them inside the four corners of one document. That has, in fact, been provided by Statute, and I think you will find that it is in the Army Act of 1885. The object in both cases is to furnish the document containing the existing law, complete in itself, and corrected up to date, instead of persons having to refer to half a dozen different books, in order to build up for themselves the Statute as it is. The second Sub-section, just as is the first Sub-section, is to provide that we may ensure that there is no mistake as to what is exactly the existing state of the law, both military and naval.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.