Island of Rockall Act 1972
Encyclopedia
The Island of Rockall Act 1972 (c. 2) is a British Act of Parliament
formally incorporating the island Rockall
into the United Kingdom
to protect it from Irish
and Iceland
ic claims. The Act as originally passed declared that the Island of Rockall was now part of the Scottish
county of Inverness-shire
(it is now in the Western Isles
).
The entire Act consists of a single effective section, which reads, "As from the date of the passing of this Act, the Island of Rockall (of which possession was formally taken in the name of Her Majesty on 18th September 1955 in pursuance of a Royal Warrant
dated 14th September 1955 addressed to the Captain of Her Majesty's Ship Vidal
) shall be incorporated into that part of the United Kingdom known as Scotland
and shall form part of the District of Harris in the County of Inverness, and the law of Scotland shall apply accordingly." It was amended by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
to transfer administrative control to the Western Isles Council
when Inverness-shire was abolished.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
formally incorporating the island Rockall
Rockall
Rockall is an extremely small, uninhabited, remote rocky islet in the North Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office....
into the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to protect it from Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic claims. The Act as originally passed declared that the Island of Rockall was now part of the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
county of Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
(it is now in the Western Isles
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
).
The entire Act consists of a single effective section, which reads, "As from the date of the passing of this Act, the Island of Rockall (of which possession was formally taken in the name of Her Majesty on 18th September 1955 in pursuance of a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
dated 14th September 1955 addressed to the Captain of Her Majesty's Ship Vidal
HMS Vidal
-Construction and naming:Vidal was built at Chatham Dockyard, and was the last surface vessel, and the last oceanographic survey vessel built at the Dockyard. She was also the first small ship designed to carry a helicopter. She was launched on 31 July 1951 and commissioned into service in 1954...
) shall be incorporated into that part of the United Kingdom known as Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and shall form part of the District of Harris in the County of Inverness, and the law of Scotland shall apply accordingly." It was amended by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
to transfer administrative control to the Western Isles Council
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.It is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name...
when Inverness-shire was abolished.