The House considered the principle of the literal construction of a statute: ‘The more literal construction ought not to prevail, if . . it is opposed to the intentions of the Legislature, as apparent by the statute; and if the words are sufficiently flexible to admit of some other construction by which that intention will be better effectuated.’
Judges:
Lord Selborne
Citations:
(1881) 6 AC 114
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – National Grid Gas Plc, Regina (on the Application of) v The Environment Agency Admn 17-May-2006
The claimant sought a judicial review of the decision to hold them responsible for necessary works of remediation. They were statutory successors to British Gas Corporation.
Held: The legislation clearly attempted to hold the contaminator . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Company, Constitutional
Updated: 07 May 2022; Ref: scu.242434
