Atomic Energy Act 1946
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| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to provide for the development of atomic energy and the control of such development, and for purposes connected therewith. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 80 |
| Introduced by | Clement Attlee (Prime Minister) 8 October 1946 (Second Reading) (Commons) |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 6 November 1946 |
Status: Amended | |
The Atomic Energy Act 1946 (9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 80) is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which vested in the Minister of Supply the power to control and promote the development of Atomic Energy in the UK.
Following the pioneering development of atomic energy, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it was thought expedient to vest the control of the development and production of atomic energy in the UK government.[1] The primary concern was national security: the power of atomic energy could be used to jeopardise the safety of the state. The Act gave the government control over what was envisaged to became a wide field of industrial activity, and to protect the country from the danger of a possible hostile attack.[1]