The Continuance of Laws Act 1783 (23 Geo. 3. c. 6) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that continued various older acts.
In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed.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. [1]
Section 1 of the act continued the Making of Indigo, etc. Act 1770 (10 Geo. 3. c. 37) "as relates to the regulating of Fees of the Officers of the Customs in America, and for extending the same to the Naval Officers there", as continued by the Continuance of Certain Laws Act 1772 (12 Geo. 3. c. 56), the Continuance of Laws, etc. Act 1774 (14 Geo. 3. c. 86) and the Continuance of Laws Act 1779 (19 Geo. 3. c. 22), from the expiration of those enactments until the end of the next session of parliament after 1 August 1786. [2]
Section 2 of the act continued the Exportation Act 1776 (16 Geo. 3. c. 37) "as relates to allowing the exportation of certain quantities of wheat, and other articles to his Majesty's sugar colonies in America", as continued by the Exportation (No. 2) Act 1776 (17 Geo. 3. c. 28), the Exportation Act 1778 (18 Geo. 3. c. 16), the Continuance of Laws Act 1779 (19 Geo. 3. c. 22), the Continuance of Laws (No. 2) Act 1780 (20 Geo. 3. c. 19), the Continuance of Laws Act 1781 (21 Geo. 3. c. 29) and the Continuance of Laws Act 1782 (22 Geo. 3. c. 13), until 1 May 1784. [2]
Section 3 of the act continued the Customs (No. 6) Act 1776 (17 Geo. 3. c. 43) "as permits the exportation of tobacco-pipe clay from this kingdom to the British sugar colonies or plantations in the West Indies", as continued by the Continuance of Laws (No. 2) Act 1780 (20 Geo. 3. c. 19), from the expiration of those enactments until the next session of parliament after 24 June 1787. [2]
Section 4 of the act continued the Customs (No. 2) Act 1780 (20 Geo. 3. c. 25) from the expiration of the act until the next session of parliament after 31 May 1786. [2]
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. [3]
The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c. 116).