Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to consolidate the enactments relating to petroleum and to petroleum-spirit.
Citation18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. 32
Territorial extent England and Wales, and Scotland
Dates
Royal assent3 August 1928
Commencement4 August 1928
Repealed1 October 2014
Other legislation
Repeals/revokes
Repealed by
  • Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1637)
Relates toPetroleum (Amendment) Act 1928
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 (18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. 32) is a UK Act of Parliament to consolidate the enactments relating to petroleum and petroleum-spirit. It specified and updated the conditions for the granting of licenses for keeping petroleum spirit; the labelling of containers for petroleum spirit; its transport; and regulations for certain uses.

Background

The Petroleum Act 1871 was still the principal Act controlling the licensing, storage and use of petroleum and petroleum products in the late 1920s. It was recognised that considerable changes had taken place since 1871 in the use of petroleum such as the development of the motor car and the increased use of petrol by the public.[1] It had also become difficult for local authorities to administer the law as it was distributed over a number of Acts, and partly because the Act of 1871 was seen as not being well drafted and difficulties had arisen over interpretation.[1]

The original Petroleum Act 1862 defined Petroleum Spirit as a substance that would give off a flammable vapour at less than 100 °F (38 °C). After several changes this was finally revised in 1879 to set a limit of 73 °F (23 °C).[2]

Before the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 could be enacted the existing legislation needed to be amended, this was enacted by the Petroleum (Amendment) Act 1928.

Petroleum (Amendment) Act 1928

Petroleum (Amendment) Act 1928
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to amend the enactments relating to petroleum and to petroleum-spirit.
Citation18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. 20
Dates
Royal assent3 August 1928

The Petroleum (Amendment) Act 1928 (18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. 20) comprised four sections. The first dealt with harbours and the definition of a "harbour authority" which had previously been ambiguous.[1] Section 2 dealt with the making of bylaws for substances other than petroleum, such as calcium carbide. Section 3 dealt with the repeal of section 5 of the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896.[1] That section was a concession applied to motor cars, which had then been considered to be light locomotives. Petrol had since been used for agricultural machinery, motorboats, stationary engines for electric lighting, and for pumping water.[1] The Act of 1871 required a licence from the local authority, which was not necessary for these new applications. Section 4 gave canal companies a general power of making by-laws for the transport of petrol. The Petroleum (Amendment) Act 1928 cleared up several pieces of poor legislative draftsmanship, with this and other legislation then incorporated into the consolidated act.[1]

Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928

The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928[3] received royal assent on 3 August 1928. Its long title is 'An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to petroleum and to petroleum-spirit'.

Provisions

The Act comprises 26 Sections under nine headings plus three schedules[3]

Related and subsequent legislation

The Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 repealed the following statutes:

Section 2 of the Petroleum (Transfer of Licences) Act 1936 (26 Geo. 5. & 1 Edw. 8. c. 27) construed the 1936 Act to be one with the 1928 Act and they could be cited together as the Petroleum (Regulation) Acts 1928 and 1936.

The Petroleum (Regulations) Acts 1928 and 1936 were still in force until 2014.[2] They were repealed on 1 October 2014 by the Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1637).

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "House of Commons Debates". Hansard. 6 March 1928. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b Hobson, G. D, and W. Pohl (1973). Modern Petroleum Technology. London: Institute of Petroleum. pp. 874, 888. ISBN 0853344876.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b "Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 3 August 1928. Retrieved 24 September 2020.