Official Secrets Act 1889

The Official Secrets Act 1889^[a] (52 & 53 Vict. c. 52) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It created offences of disclosure of information (section 1) and breach of official trust (section 2).

Official Secrets Act 1889^[a]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to prevent the Disclosure of Official Documents and Information.
Citation	52 & 53 Vict. c. 52
Territorial extent	United Kingdom[b]
Dates
Royal assent	26 August 1889
Commencement	26 August 1889[c]
Repealed	22 August 1911
Other legislation
Repealed by	Official Secrets Act 1911
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The whole act was replaced in the UK and repealed by section 13(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1911.

The Official Secrets Bill began its parliamentary procedures on 10 May 1888, achieving its royal assent on 26 August 1889. It was initiated by Lord George Hamilton PC First Lord of the Admiralty and Edward Stanhope (PC) Secretary of State for War. The bill was enacted by the Attorney General Richard Webster to give increased powers against offences of disclosing confidential matters by officials, and to prevent the disclosure of such documents and information by spies, and/or to prevent breaches of official trust, in order to punish such offences of obtaining information and communicating it, against the interests of the British state.

See also

• Official Secrets Act
• Official Secrets Act 1911
• Official Secrets Act 1920
• Official Secrets Act 1939
• Official Secrets Act 1989

Notes

1. Section 10.
2. Section 6.
3. Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793