2. c. 32) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which established the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority with powers to produce, use and dispose of atomic energy and to carry out research into this and related matters.

[1] The 1946 Act had transferred the responsibility for work on atomic energy from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to the Ministry of Supply.

[2] In December 1953, Parliament agreed to the transfer of ministerial responsibility for atomic energy from the Minister of Supply to the Lord President of the Council.

This was expedient as the Lord President was a senior member of the Cabinet who had no departmental interest in the use of atomic energy.

[1] The Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954 further developed government oversight, it transferred powers relating to research, development and disposal of radioactive substances from the Lord President to the new United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority established under the act.