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The Northern Ireland Act 1998



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Text: British Parliament ... Page Compiled: Fionnuala McKenna

Crown copyright 2000 with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office


Northern Ireland Act 1998

1998 Chapter 47

© Crown Copyright 1998
Crown copyright 1998 with the permission of
the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office

 
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS


PART I

PRELIMINARY

Section

 

1.

Status of Northern Ireland.

2.

Previous enactments.

3.

Devolution order.

4.

Transferred, excepted and reserved matters.


PART II

LEGISLATIVE POWERS

General

5.

Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

6.

Legislative competence.

7.

Entrenched enactments.

8.

Consent of Secretary of State required in certain cases.


Scrutiny and stages of Bills

9.

Scrutiny by Ministers.

10.

Scrutiny by Presiding Officer.

11.

Scrutiny by the Judicial Committee.

12.

Reconsideration where reference made to ECJ.

13.

Stages of Bills.


Royal Assent

14.

Submission by Secretary of State.

15.

Parliamentary control where consent given.


PART III

EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES

Authorities

16.

First Minister and deputy First Minister.

17.

Ministerial offices.

18.

Northern Ireland Ministers.

19.

Junior Ministers.

20.

The Executive Committee.

21.

Northern Ireland departments.


Functions

22.

Statutory functions.

23.

Prerogative and executive powers.

24.

Community law, Convention rights etc.

25.

Excepted and reserved matters.

26.

International obligations.

27.

Quotas for purposes of international etc obligations.

28.

Agency arrangements between UK and NI departments.


Miscellaneous

29.

Statutory committees.

30.

Exclusion of Ministers from office.


PART IV

THE NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

Elections etc

31.

Dates of elections and dissolutions.

32.

Extraordinary elections.

33.

Constituencies and numbers of members.

34.

Elections and franchise.

35.

Vacancies.


Disqualification

36.

Disqualification.

37.

Effect of disqualification and provision for relief.

38.

Disqualification: judicial proceedings.


Presiding Officer and Commission

39.

Presiding Officer.

40.

Commission.


Proceedings etc.

41.

Standing orders.

42.

Petitions of concern.

43.

Members' interests.

44.

Power to call for witnesses and documents.

45.

Witnesses and documents: offences.

46.

Witnesses: oaths.


Remuneration and pensions

47.

Remuneration of members.

48.

Pensions of members.


Miscellaneous

49.

Letters Patent etc.

50.

Privilege.

51.

Resignation of members.


PART V

NSMC, BIC, BIIC ETC.

52.

North-South Ministerial Council and British-Irish Council.

53.

Agreements etc. by persons participating in Councils.

54.

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

55.

Implementation bodies.

56.

Civic Forum.


PART VI

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Consolidated Fund

57.

Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland.

58.

Payments into the Fund.

59.

Payments out of Fund without appropriation Act.

60.

Financial control, accounts and audit.


Advances

61.

Advances by Secretary of State.

62.

Accounts.


Miscellaneous

63.

Financial acts of the Assembly.

64.

Draft budgets.

65.

Audit.

66.

Expenses of Northern Ireland Audit Office.

67.

Provision of information to Treasury.


PART VII

HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Human rights

68.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

69.

The Commission's functions.

70.

Assistance by Commission.

71.

Restrictions on application of rights.

72.

Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights: dissolution.


Equality of opportunity

73.

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

74.

The Commission's principal functions.

75.

Statutory duty on public authorities.

76.

Discrimination by public authorities.

77.

Unlawful oaths etc.

78.

Removal of restrictions on investigation into maladministration.


PART VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Judicial scrutiny

79.

Devolution issues.

80.

Legislative power to remedy ultra vires acts.

81.

Powers of courts or tribunals to vary retrospective decisions.

82.

The Judicial Committee.

83.

Interpretation of Acts of the Assembly etc.


Power to make provision by Order in Council

84.

Provision with respect to certain matters relating to Northern Ireland.

85.

Provision dealing with certain reserved matters.

86.

Provision for purposes consequential on Act etc.


Social security, child support and pensions

87.

Consultation and co-ordination.

88.

The Joint Authority.

89.

Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.


Discrimination: certificates by Secretary of State

90.

Effect of certificates.

91.

The Tribunal.

92.

Appeals from the Tribunal.


Miscellaneous

93.

Parliament Buildings etc.

94.

Land purchase annuities etc.


PART IX

SUPPLEMENTAL

95.

Savings for existing laws.

96.

Orders and regulations.

97.

Financial provision.

98.

Interpretation.

99.

Minor and consequential amendments.

100.

Transitional provisions, savings and repeals.

101.

Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 1

Polls for the purposes of section 1.

Schedule 2

Excepted matters.

Schedule 3

Reserved matters.

Schedule 4

Annex A to Strand One of Belfast Agreement.

Schedule 5

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission.

Schedule 6

Standing orders: further provision.

Schedule 7

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Schedule 8

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Schedule 9

Equality: enforcement of duties.

Schedule 10

Devolution issues.

Part I

Preliminary.

Part II

Proceedings in Northern Ireland.

Part III

Proceedings in England and Wales.

Part IV

Proceedings in Scotland.

Part V

General.

Schedule 11

Tribunal established under section 91.

Schedule 12

Construction of references in existing laws.

Schedule 13

Minor and consequential amendments.

Schedule 14

Transitional provisions and savings.

Schedule 15

Repeals.


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