HC Deb 25 October 1982 vol 29 c257W
Mr. George

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the statutory powers exercised by Ministers in connection with the operation to recover the Falkland Islands; and whether any resolutions and orders were made to apply this legislation in particular respects.

The Prime Minister:

The following statutory powers were exercised by Ministers in connection with the operation to recover the Falkland Islands. The list shows the practical means (orders etc) which were required.

  1. (a) Naval ratings and men of the Royal Marines who would normally have been entitled to be discharged or transferred to the reserve were retained in service by orders of the Secretary of State for Defence made under section 4 of the Armed Forces Act 1966 and paragraph 4A of schedule 7 to the Army Act 1955 respectively.
  2. (b) The Secretary of State for Defence exercised powers under section 97(5) of the Explosives Act 1975 and regulation 12(5) of the Conveyance in Harbour of Military Explosives Regulations (S1 1977890) on three occasions to override byelaws and other, statutory, restrictions on the movement of munitions through the port of Southampton.
  3. (c) The Secretary of State for Defence exercised his powers under section 134 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 (as amended by section 74 of the Armed Forces Act 1971), section 224 of the Army Act 1955 and section 222 of the Air Force Act 1955 to consent to the declaration of active service in the South Atlantic, and subsequently exercised those powers to direct its cessation.
  4. (d) The Secretary of State for Defence called out men of the Royal Fleet Reserve under powers conferred on him by section 11 and 26 of the Reserve Forces Act 1980.
  5. (e) The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, exercising their powers under section 2 of the Emergency Laws (Reenactments and Repeals) Act 1964, introduced The Control of Gold, Securities, Payments and Credit (Argentine Republic) Directions (SI) 1982/512). These directions were repealed by SI 1982/1307.
  6. (f) The Secretary of State for Trade introduced a ban on Argentine imports under powers conferred on him by section 1 of the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 and articles 2 and 5 of the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 (SI 1954/23).
  7. (g) Under powers conferred by the same Act and by article 8 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1981 (SI 1981/1641) the Secretary of State for Trade also revoked all export licences for Argentina.

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