Visiting Forces Act 1952

17 Interpretation. U.K.

(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the expression “forces”, in relation to a country, means any of the naval, military or air forces of that country, the expression “United Kingdom court” means a court exercising jurisdiction in the United Kingdom under United Kingdom law otherwise than by virtue of section two of this Act, and the expression “United Kingdom law” means the law of the United Kingdom or of any part thereof.

(2)For the purposes of this Act a member of a force of any country which (by whatever name called) is in the nature of a reserve or auxiliary force shall be deemed to be a member of that country’s forces so long as, but only so long as, he is called into actual service (by whatever expression described) or is called out for training; and any reference in this Act to a person’s becoming a member of a country’s forces shall be construed accordingly.

(3)References in any provision of this Act to the appropriate authority of a country are references to such authority as may be appointed by the Government of that country for the purposes of that provision.

(4)References in this Act to the presence of any forces in the United Kingdom at any time shall be construed as including references to their being at that time in transit to the United Kingdom.

(5)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, and in this subsection the expression “enactment” includes an enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

(6)Any power conferred by the foregoing provisions of this Act to make an Order in Council or order shall be construed as including a power, exercisable in the like manner, to vary or revoke the Order in Council or order; and an Order in Council varying or revoking an Order under subsection (2) of section one of this Act may contain such transitional provisions as appear to Her Majesty in Council expedient in consequence of the variation or revocation.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 17 applied by S.I. 1975/1208