Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981

8 Meaning of “instrument”.E+W+N.I.

(1)Subject to subsection (2) below, in this Part of this Act “instrument” means—

(a)any document, whether of a formal or informal character;

(b)any stamp issued or sold by [F1a postal operator];

(c)any Inland Revenue stamp; and

(d)any disc, tape, sound track or other device on or in which information is recorded or stored by mechanical, electronic or other means.

(2)A currency note within the meaning of Part II of this Act is not an instrument for the purposes of this Part of this Act.

(3)A mark denoting payment of postage which the [F2a postal operator authorises] to be used instead of an adhesive stamp is to be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as if it were a stamp issued by [F3the postal operator concerned].

[F4(3A)In this section “postal operator” has [F5the meaning given by section 27 of the Postal Services Act 2011 ].]

(4)In this Part of this Act “Inland Revenue stamp” means a stamp as defined in section 27 of the M1Stamp Duties Management Act 1891.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 8(1)(b) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 50(2)

F2Words in s. 8(3) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 50(3)(a)

F3Words in s. 8(3) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 50(3)(b)

F4S. 8(3A) inserted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 50(4)

Marginal Citations