{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/emergency-powers-act-1920-repealed/section-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/emergency-powers-act-1920-repealed/section-1.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Geo5/10-11/55",
  "legislation_title": "Emergency Powers Act 1920 (Repealed)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/emergency-powers-act-1920-repealed",
  "path": "section/1",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": "Issue of proclamations of emergency.",
  "text": "(1) If at any time it appears to His Majesty that there have occurred, or are about to occur, events of such a nature as to be calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive the community, or any substantial portion of the community, of the essentials of life, His Majesty may, by proclamation (hereinafter referred to as a proclamation of emergency), declare that a state of emergency exists.\nNo such proclamation shall be in force for more than one month, without prejudice to the issue of another proclamation at or before the end of that period.\n(2) Where a proclamation of emergency has been made the occasion thereof shall forthwith be communicated to Parliament, and, if Parliament is then separated by such adjournment or prorogation as will not expire within five days, a proclamation shall be issued for the meeting of Parliament within five days, and Parliament shall accordingly meet and sit upon the day appointed by that proclamation, and shall continue to sit and act in like manner as if it had stood adjourned or prorogued to the same day.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by Emergency Powers Act 1964 (c. 38), s. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/10-11/55/section/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:57:36.096287+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}