LORDS amendments to the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

House of Commons

Session 2013 - 14
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Other Bills before Parliament

LORDS amendments to the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

LORDS amendments to the
Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
[The page and line references are to HL Bill 58, the bill as first printed for the Lords.]
Clause 6
1
Page 6, line 30, leave out from beginning to “(reserved” and insert—

“( )
The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is amended as follows.

( )
In Schedule 3”
2
Page 6, line 35, leave out “exceeding” and insert “lower than five or higher than”
3
Page 6, line 37, at end insert—

“( )
After section 7 insert—

“7A
Cross-community support required for Bill altering size of

Assembly

(1)
The Assembly shall not pass a relevant Bill without cross-

community support.

(2)
In this section—

“pass”, in relation to a Bill, means pass at the stage in the

Assembly’s proceedings at which the Bill falls finally to be

passed or rejected;

“relevant Bill” means a Bill containing a provision which deals

with a matter falling within a description specified in

paragraph 7A of Schedule 3 (size of Assembly).”

( )
In section 14 (submission by Secretary of State), after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)
The Secretary of State shall not submit a Bill for Royal Assent if the

Assembly has passed the Bill in contravention of section 7A (cross-

community support required for Bill altering size of Assembly).”

( )
In section 53(3)(b) (agreements etc by person participating in Councils),

after “section” insert “7A,”.”

Bill 179 55/3

2

Clause 10
4
Page 9, line 7, at end insert—

“( )
Section 4 of that Act (transferred, excepted and reserved matters) is

amended as follows.

( )
In subsection (2), for “and (3)” substitute “to (3D)”.

( )
After subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)
The Secretary of State shall not lay before Parliament under

subsection (2) the draft of an Order amending paragraph 16 of

Schedule 3 (Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland)

unless the Secretary of State has, at least three months before laying

the draft, laid a report before Parliament.

(3B)
The report under subsection (3A) must set out the Secretary of

State’s view of the effect (if any) that the Order would have on—

(a)
the independence of the Civil Service Commissioners for

Northern Ireland;

(b)
the application of the principle that persons should be

selected for appointment to the Northern Ireland Civil

Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition;

and

(c)
the impartiality of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.””
Clause 11
5
Page 9, line 13, leave out from “matters),” to end of line 16 and insert “after sub-

paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa)
in Part VII, sections 68 to 69A, 69C to 70, 71(2A) to (2C) and

Schedule 7;”.”
6
Page 9, line 16, at end insert—

“( )
In section 4 of that Act (transferred, excepted and reserved matters), after

subsection (3B) (as inserted by section 10) insert—

“(3C)
The Secretary of State shall not lay before Parliament under

subsection (2) the draft of an Order amending paragraph 42(aa) of

Schedule 3 (Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission) unless

the Secretary of State has, at least three months before laying the

draft, laid a report before Parliament.

(3D)
The report under subsection (3C) must set out the Secretary of

State’s view of the effect (if any) that the Order would have on—

(a)
the independence of the Northern Ireland Human Rights

Commission;

(b)
the application of internationally accepted principles

relating to national human rights institutions; and

(c)
the relationship between the Northern Ireland Human

Rights Commission and the Assembly.””
Clause 28
7
Page 17, line 30, at end insert “(but see subsection (2A) below)”

3
8
Page 17, line 36, at end insert—

“(2A)
If paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 1 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

comes into force on a day after that on which this Act is passed, section 24

comes into force immediately after that paragraph comes into force.”

4