Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Northern Ireland Office, are published
separately as Bill 7—EN.
EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Mr Secretary Hain has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of the
Human Rights Act 1998:
In my view the provisions of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill are
compatible with the Convention rights.
Bill 7
54/2
Contents
Part 1
Preparations for restoration of devolved government
1
2
Compliance or non-compliance with St Andrews Agreement timetable
3
Next Northern Ireland Assembly election to be in March 2007 etc
4
Remuneration of members of the Assembly
Part 2
Amendments of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 etc
Ministerial conduct
5
The Executive Committee and the Ministerial Code
6
Power to refer Ministerial decision to Executive Committee
7
Pledge of office
Ministerial appointments
8
First Minister, deputy First Minister and Northern Ireland Ministers
9
Department with policing and justice functions: nomination etc of Ministers
Committees
10
Statutory committee for Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister
11
Committee to review functioning of Assembly and Executive Committee
NSMC and BIC
12
North-South Ministerial Council and British-Irish Council
Miscellaneous
13
Community designation
14
Power of Executive Committee to call for witnesses and documents
15
Strategies relating to Irish language and Ulster Scots language etc
ii
16
Strategy relating to poverty, social exclusion etc
17
Vacancy in the Assembly
18
Report on progress towards devolution of policing and justice matters
19
Minor and consequential amendments
Part 3
Other amendments
Policing
20
District policing partnerships
Education
21
Amendment of Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 etc
Part 4
Supplemental
22
Repeal of the 2006 Act
23
Power to make consequential provision etc
24
Parliamentary procedure for orders under section 23
25
Interpretation
26
Extent
27
Commencement
28
Short title
Schedule 1 —
The Transitional Assembly
Schedule 2 —
Restoration of devolved government on 26 March 2007
Schedule 3 —
Non-compliance with St Andrews Agreement timetable
Schedule 4 —
Repeal of 2000 Act etc
Schedule 5 —
Executive selection: consequential amendments
Schedule 6 —
Department with policing and justice functions: nomination
etc of Ministers
Schedule 7 —
Minor and consequential amendments relating to Part 2
Schedule 8 —
Reconstitution of district policing partnerships
Schedule 9 —
District policing partnerships: Belfast sub-groups