Poor Relief - Law Commission

Reference Extent of repeal or revocation
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Local Government Board’s Poor Law The whole Act.
Provisional Orders Confirmation
(Oxford etc) Act 1875
(38 & 39 Vict. c.clxviii)
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Local Government Board’s Poor Law Provisional Orders Confirmation (Oxford etc)
Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict.c.clxviii)
1. This note proposes the repeal of an obsolete 1875 Act passed to make
changes to the system of providing relief for the poor in Oxford, Stoke-on-Trent and
Herefordshire.
2. According to its long title, the purpose of the 1875 Act was to:
confirm certain Provisional Orders made by the Local Government Board
under the Poor Law Amendment Act, 1867, with reference to the City of
Oxford, the Parish of Stoke-upon-Trent, and the Parishes of Sutton Saint
Michael and Sutton Saint Nicholas in the County of Hereford.
3. Section 2 of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1867 (“the 1867 Act”) 167 provided a
means whereby a union of parishes (otherwise known as a “poor law union”) or an
individual parish could apply to the Poor Law Board for an order to repeal or amend
any local Act that controlled or regulated the arrangements for poor relief or for
levying the poor rate in the area of that union or parish. 168 Section 3 of the 1867 Act
provided a means whereby an analogous application could be made to the Poor Law
Board for an order to adjust the extent of (or to divide) a parish. In 1871 the functions
of the Poor Law Board were taken over by the Local Government Board (“the
Board”). 169 The Guardians of any union or parish would apply to the Board for an
order repealing or amending the local Act (or adjusting or dividing a parish). The
Board, if it supported the application, would issue the necessary Provisional Order.
Such Provisional Order would have effect only once it had been confirmed by Act of
Parliament.
4. The purpose of the 1875 Act was therefore to confirm Provisional Orders made
by the Board pursuant to the 1867 Act. The 1875 Act confirmed three Orders, all of
167
30 & 31 Vict. c.106. The Act was finally repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1950.
168
Section 2 did not apply to parishes within London.
169
Local Government Board Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c.70), s 2. The Act was repealed by the Statute
Law (Repeals) Act 1986, s 1(1), Sch 1, Part 7.
168