Northern Ireland Bill

House of Commons portcullis

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Northern Ireland Bill

This is the text of the Northern Ireland Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 15 July 1998

EXPLANATORY AND FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM

Northern Ireland Bill

ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Clause

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. Consent of Secretary of State required in certain cases.

Scrutiny and stages of Bills

8. Scrutiny by Ministers.

9. Scrutiny by Presiding Officer.

10. Scrutiny by the Judicial Committee.

11. Stages of Bills.

Royal Assent

12. Submission by Secretary of State.

13. Parliamentary control where consent given.

PART III

EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES

Authorities

14. First Minister and deputy First Minister.

15. Northern Ireland Ministers.

16. The Executive Committee.

17. Northern Ireland departments.

Functions

18. Exercise by Ministers and departments.

19. Community law and Convention rights.

20. International obligations.

21. Agency arrangements between UK and NI departments.

Miscellaneous

22. Statutory committees.

23. Exclusion of Ministers from office.

PART IV

THE NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

Elections etc.

24. Dates of elections and dissolutions.

25. Constituencies and numbers of members.

26. Elections and franchise.

27. Vacancies.

Disqualification

28. Disqualification.

29. Effect of disqualification and provision for relief.

30. Disqualification: judicial proceedings.

Presiding Officer and Commission

31. Presiding Officer.

32. Commission.

Proceedings etc.

33. Standing orders.

34. Petitions of concern.

35. Members' interests.

36. Power to call for witnesses and documents.

37. Witnesses and documents: offences.

Remuneration and pensions

38. Remuneration of members.

39. Pensions of members.

Miscellaneous

40. Letters Patent etc.

41. Privilege.

42. Resignation of members.

43. Prorogation.

PART V

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Consolidated Fund

44. Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland.

45. Payments into the Fund: taxes.

46. Payments into the Fund: Secretary of State.

47. Payments out of Fund without appropriation Act.

Advances

48. Advances by Secretary of State.

49. Accounts.

Miscellaneous

50. Financial acts of the Assembly.

51. Draft budgets.

52. Audit.

53. Provision of information to Treasury.

PART VI

HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Human rights

54. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

55. The Commission's functions.

56. Assistance to individuals.

57. Restrictions on application of rights.

58. Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights: dissolution.

Equal opportunities

59. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

60. The Commission's principal functions.

61. Statutory duty on public authorities.

62. Discrimination by public authorities.

63. Unlawful oaths etc.

64. Removal of restrictions on investigation into maladministration.

PART VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Bodies established under Belfast Agreement

65. Consultation with consultative Civic Forum.

66. Participation in NSMC and BIC.

67. Attendance at BIIC meetings.

68. Recognition etc. of implementation bodies.

Judicial scrutiny

69. Devolution issues.

70. Powers of courts or tribunals to vary retrospective decisions.

71. The Judicial Committee.

Power to make provision by Order in Council

72. Provision with respect to certain matters relating to Northern Ireland.

73. Provision for purposes consequential on Act etc.

Miscellaneous

74. Assembly property.

75. Land purchase annuities etc.

PART VIII

SUPPLEMENTAL

76. Savings for existing laws.

77. Orders and regulations.

78. Financial provision.

79. Interpretation.

80. Minor and consequential amendments.

81. Transitional provisions, savings and repeals.

82. Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULES

    Schedule 1 - Polls for the purposes of section 1.

    Schedule 2 - Excepted matters.

    Schedule 3 - Reserved matters.

    Schedule 4 - Enactments protected from modification.

    Schedule 5 - Pledge of office.

    Schedule 6 - Northern Ireland Assembly Commission.

    Schedule 7 - Standing orders: further provision.

    Schedule 8 - The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

    Schedule 9 - The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

    Schedule 10 - Equality: enforcement of duties..

    Schedule 11 - 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 12 - Construction of references in existing laws..

    Schedule 13 - Minor and consequential amendments.

    Schedule 14 - Transitional provisions and savings.

    Schedule 15 - Repeals.

© Parliamentary copyright 1998
Prepared 15 July 1998