Continuance of Laws Act 1790

The Continuance of Laws Act 1790 was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain that continued various older acts.

Background

In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed. Many acts of parliament, however, contained time-limited sunset clauses, requiring legislation to revive enactments that had expired or to continue enactments that would otherwise expire.

Section 1 of the act continued the Customs (No. 1) Act 1772, as continued by the Continuance of Laws Act 1776 and the Manufacture of Leather Act 1784, until the end of the next session of parliament after 5 years.
Section 2 of the act continued the Exportation (No. 4) Act 1786, as continued by the Continuance of Laws Act 1787, the Continuance of Laws Act 1788 and Continuance of Laws Act 1789, until the end of the next session of parliament.
Section 3 of the act continued the Exports Act 1787 "as directs that all Spirits shall be deemed and taken to be of the Degree of Strength as Which the Hydrometer, commonly called Clarke's Hydrometer, shall, upon Trial of any Officer or Officers of Excise, denote any such Spirits to be", as continued by the Continuance of Laws Act 1788 and the Continuance of Laws Act 1789, until the end of the next session of parliament.

The Select Committee on Temporary Laws, Expired or Expiring, appointed in 1796, inspected and considered all temporary laws, observing irregularities in the construction of expiring laws continuance acts, making recommendations and emphasising the importance of the Committee for Expired and Expiring Laws.
The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1871.