Northern Ireland Bill - continued        House of Commons

back to previous text
 
  PART VIII
  SUPPLEMENTAL
Savings for existing laws.     76. - (1) Except so far as otherwise provided by or under this Act, nothing in this Act shall affect the continued operation in or in relation to Northern Ireland of any law in force at the passing or commencement of this Act, including in particular Orders in Council made under-
 
 
    (a) section 69 or 70 of the the Government of Ireland Act 1920;
 
    (b) section 1(3) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972;
 
    (c) section 38 or 39 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973; or
 
    (d) Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974.
      (2) The laws continued by section 61 of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 shall continue to have effect to the extent provided for by that section (but with any modification necessary for adapting them to this Act).
 
      (3) No law made by the Assembly shall have effect so as to prejudice or diminish the rights or privileges of any pensioned officer of a local authority under the provisions of the Local Government (Ireland) Acts 1898 to 1919.
 
      (4) No provision of this Act shall-
 
 
    (a) affect the operation before the coming into force of that provision of any Northern Ireland legislation; or
 
    (b) render unlawful anything required or authorised to be done by any Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, whenever passed.
      (5) Schedule 12 (which provides for the construction of certain references in existing laws) shall have effect, but subject to any provision made by or under this Act or by any Act of the Assembly.
 
Orders and regulations.     77. - (1) An order under section 15(3), 20, 24(3) or (6), 30(6), 58(2) or 60(5) shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
 
      (2) An order under section 26(4), 27(1), 61(3)(e) or 68 or Schedule 1-
 
 
    (a) shall be made by statutory instrument; and
 
    (b) shall not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
      (3) Regulations under section 45(3) shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons.
 
      (4) An order under section 45(4) or 48(7)-
 
 
    (a) shall be made by statutory instrument; and
 
    (b) shall not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by resolution of the House of Commons.
Financial provision.     78. Any expenditure of the Secretary of State in consequence of this Act shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.
 
Interpretation.     79. - (1) In this Act-
 
 
    "the appointed day" has the meaning given by section 3(1);
 
    "the Assembly" has the meaning given by section 4(5);
 
    "the Belfast Agreement" means the agreement reached at multi-party talks on Northern Ireland set out in Command Paper 3883;
 
    "Community law" means-
 
      (a) all rights, powers, liabilities, obligations and restrictions created or arising by or under the Community Treaties; and
 
      (b) all remedies and procedures provided for by or under those Treaties;
 
    "the Convention rights" has the same meaning as in the Human Rights Act 1998;
 
    "cross-community support" has the meaning given by section 4(5);
 
    "designated Nationalist" and "designated Unionist" have the meanings given by section 4(5);
 
    "document" includes anything in which information is recorded in any form;
 
    "functions" includes powers and duties, and "confer", in relation to functions, includes impose;
 
    "enactment" includes any provision of, or of any instrument made under, Northern Ireland legislation;
 
    "excepted matter" has the meaning given by section 4(1);
 
    "international obligations" means any international obligations of the United Kingdom other than obligations-
 
      (a) under Community law; or
 
      (b) not to do acts incompatible with any of the Convention rights;
 
    "Judicial Committee" means the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council;
 
    "modify", in relation to an enactment, includes amend or repeal;
 
    "Northern Ireland" includes so much of the internal waters and territorial sea of the United Kingdom as are adjacent to Northern Ireland;
 
    "Northern Ireland legislation" means-
 
      (a) Acts of the Parliament of Ireland;
 
      (b) Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland;
 
      (c) Orders in Council under section 1(3) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972;
 
      (d) Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly established under section 1 of the Northern Ireland Assembly Act 1973;
 
      (e) Orders in Council under Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974;
 
      (f) Acts of the Assembly; and
 
      (g) Orders in Council under section 72(1)(b);
 
    "the pledge of office" has the meaning given by section 14(9);
 
    "political opinion" and "religious belief" shall be construed in accordance with section 57(2) and (3) of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976;
 
    "proceedings", in relation to the Assembly, includes proceedings of any committee;
 
    "property" includes rights and interests of any description;
 
    "reserved matter" has the meaning given by section 4(1);
 
    "transferred matter" has the meaning given by section 4(1);
 
    "subordinate legislation" has the same meaning as in the Interpretation Act 1978 and also includes an instrument made under an Act of the Assembly.
      (2) For the purposes of this Act, a provision of an Act of the Assembly discriminates against any person or class of persons if it treats that person or that class less favourably in any circumstances than other persons are treated in those circumstances by the law for the time being in force in Northern Ireland.
 
      (3) For those purposes a person discriminates against another person or a class of persons if he treats that other person or that class less favourably in any circumstances than he treats or would treat other persons in those circumstances.
 
      (4) No provision of an Act of the Assembly and no act done by any person shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as discriminating if the provision has the effect, or the act is done for the purpose, of safeguarding national security or protecting public safety or public order.
 
      (5) A certificate purporting to be signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of State and certifying that an act specified in the certificate was done for the purpose of safeguarding national security shall be conclusive evidence that it was done for that purpose.
 
Minor and consequential amendments.     80. The enactments mentioned in Schedule 13 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments there specified, being minor amendments and amendments consequential on the provisions of this Act.
 
Transitional provisions, savings and repeals.     81. - (1) The transitional provisions and savings contained in Schedule 14 to this Act shall have effect; but nothing in this subsection shall be taken as prejudicing the operation of sections 16 and 17 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (which relate to the effect of repeals).
 
      (2) The enactments specified in Schedule 15 to this Act, which include some that are spent, are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.
 
Short title and commencement.     82. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
 
      (2) Sections 3 and 4 and this section shall come into force on the day on which this Act is passed.
 
      (3) The remaining provisions of this Act (except Parts II and III) shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint; and different days may be appointed for different purposes.
 
 
previous section contents continue
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 1998
Prepared 28 July 1998