# Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978

> Public General Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom

**Wikidata**: [Q100162085](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100162085)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Safeguards_and_Electricity_(Finance)_Act_1978)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/nuclear-safeguards-and-electricity-finance-act-1978

## Summary
The **Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978** is a Public General Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, legislated during the 4th session of the 47th Parliament. Enacted on June 30, 1978, it serves the dual purpose of implementing international nuclear safeguards connected to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and authorizing government financial contributions for the construction of the second stage of the Drax power station.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** An Act to make provision for giving effect to an International Agreement for the application of Safeguards in the United Kingdom in connection with the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; and to authorise contributions by the Secretary of State to expenditure by the Central Electricity Generating Board in connection with the construction of the second stage of the Board's generating station at Drax.
- **Short Name:** Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978
- **Alternative Names:** 1978 c. 25, 1978 c25
- **Classification:** Public General Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom; Statute
- **Legislative Body:** Parliament of the United Kingdom
- **Date of Promulgation:** June 30, 1978
- **Parliamentary Session:** 4th session of the 47th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- **Legal Citation:** 1978 c. 25
- **Jurisdiction:** United Kingdom
- **Language:** English
- **Legislation ID:** ukpga/1978/25
- **UK Parliament ID:** gkiqcIiQ
- **UK Parliament Thesaurus ID:** 509904
- **Preceded By:** Theatres Trust (Scotland) Act 1978
- **Succeeded By:** Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978
- **Online Access:** Available at legislation.gov.uk under the Open Government Licence

## FAQs
**What was the primary purpose of the Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978?**
The act had two main objectives: to enact the international agreement for applying nuclear safeguards in the UK in connection with the Non-proliferation Treaty, and to authorize the Secretary of State to fund the Central Electricity Generating Board for the second stage of construction at the Drax power station.

**When was the act passed and enacted?**
The legislation was passed during the 4th session of the 47th Parliament of the United Kingdom and received royal assent (promulgation) on June 30, 1978.

**Where can the full text of the act be accessed?**
The full text is available in English at `https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/25/contents` under the Open Government Licence.

## Why It Matters
This legislation is significant for bridging the United Kingdom's international non-proliferation commitments with its domestic energy infrastructure needs. By formalizing safeguards related to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Act integrated the UK into the global nuclear regulatory framework, ensuring transparency and compliance in nuclear material usage. Simultaneously, by authorizing financial support for the Drax generating station, it played a pivotal role in securing the country's energy generation capacity during the late 20th century. The Act exemplifies how domestic law is utilized to ratify international treaties and manage strategic national infrastructure projects.

## Notable For
- **Dual-Purpose Legislation:** Combines international treaty obligations regarding nuclear safety with domestic energy financing.
- **Specific Infrastructure Funding:** explicitly authorizes funding for the "second stage" of the Drax power station.
- **Non-Proliferation Implementation:** Represents the domestic legal mechanism for enforcing the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons within the UK.
- **Parliamentary Positioning:** Sits chronologically between the Theatres Trust (Scotland) Act 1978 and the Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978 in the legislative record.

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Classification
The Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978 is formally classified as a **statute**, defined as a formal written document that creates law. Specifically, it is an instance of a "Public General Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom." Like all statutes, it functions as a manifestation of statutory law and contains legal norms. It is considered a subclass of "written work" and "document," distinct from broader legal concepts but caused by the act of legislation.

### Official Nomenclature
The entity holds several identifiers and titles:
- **Official Name:** The full procedural title begins with "An Act to make provision for giving effect to an International Agreement..." and details the specific safeguards and financial authorizations.
- **Short Name:** Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978.
- **Legal Citation:** 1978 c. 25 (also formatted as 1978 c25).

### Legislative History and Context
The Act was legislated by the **Parliament of the United Kingdom**. It was enacted during a specific legislative timeframe, identified as the **4th session of the 47th Parliament of the United Kingdom**.
- **Chronology:** It follows the *Theatres Trust (Scotland) Act 1978* and is followed by the *Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978*.
- **Promulgation:** The Act became law on **June 30, 1978**.

### Jurisdiction and Scope
The Act applies to the jurisdiction of the **United Kingdom**, an island country in north-west Europe consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As a statute within this jurisdiction, it is written in **English** and applies to the legal entities operating within the UK's sovereign territory.

### Core Provisions
The Act's provisions are twofold, as indicated by its official name:
1.  **Nuclear Safeguards:** It provides the legal framework to give effect to an international agreement concerning the application of safeguards. This is explicitly linked to the **Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons**, ensuring the UK's compliance with global non-proliferation standards.
2.  **Electricity Finance:** It authorizes the **Secretary of State** to contribute financially to the **Central Electricity Generating Board**. These funds are specifically allocated for expenditure related to the **construction of the second stage of the Board's generating station at Drax**.

### Technical Identifiers and Resources
The Act is cataloged and accessible through various official channels:
- **Legislation.gov.uk ID:** `ukpga/1978/25`
- **UK Parliament ID:** `gkiqcIiQ`
- **UK Parliament Thesaurus ID:** `509904`
- **URL:** The content is available at `https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/25/contents`.
- **License:** The text is made available under the **Open Government Licence**.

## References

1. legislation.gov.uk
2. Nuclear Safeguards and Electricity (Finance) Act 1978
3. [legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1978/25)