Alien Act 1705

The Alien Act ( the Aliens Act) was an English Act of 1705. Was adopted by the English Parliament in response to the Scottish Act of Security, which in turn was adopted in response to the Act of Settlement.

The law required that Scottish land ownership in England and possession was treated by foreigners, which made an inheritance almost impossible. In addition, an import embargo Scottish produce was intended to England and the English colonies. This would have meant the collapse of the Scottish economy, as nearly half of Scotland's assets, including linen, cattle and coal were delivered to these areas.

A clause stating that the law would be suspended if the Scots agreed to negotiations that would end the dispute between the two parliaments. England also offered to pay the high losses from the Darién project ( the failed Scottish colony in Panama). This offer eventually led to the Act of Union in 1707, were merged with the England and Scotland for the Kingdom of Great Britain.

• Legal source of modern times
• History of Scotland in the early modern period
• Legal history of the early modern period (England and Wales)