Northern Ireland Legislation:
proceedings as at 7 December 2007

The Northern Ireland Assembly was restored from 8 May 2007 following a period of suspension from midnight on 14 October 2002. During suspension, legislation, which would otherwise have come within the competence of the Assembly, was made by Order in Council under Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 2000. The 2000 Act was also used to make Orders in Council which, while the Assembly was active, would have been made under section 85 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Orders making provision for certain reserved matters, for example the criminal law).

Unless made without Parliamentary Approval by reason of urgency, draft Orders in Council must be approved by a resolution of both Houses before being made (affirmative procedure). Orders in Council made before Parliamentary approval by reason of urgency (U), must be approved by both Houses within 40 days of being made. Some UK Acts, for example dealing with social security or pensions, provide for corresponding provisions to be made for Northern Ireland by means of an Order in Council under the 2000 Act, subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House (negative procedure (N)), rather than by the normal affirmative procedure.

Where appropriate, proposals for draft Orders in Council are issued for public consultation and on occasions may be considered by the Northern Ireland Grand Committee (G), before the draft Order is laid. Prior to formal approval being sought on the floor of the Commons, draft Orders are normally considered in a Delegated Legislation Committee (D) or, less frequently, by the Northern Ireland Grand Committee. The Northern Ireland Orders Grand Committee (O) would also, from time to time, consider a draft Order before formal approval is sought on the floor of the Lords.

Outstanding Orders are listed below. Details of previous Orders are available in earlier editions of the bulletin.

To distinguish between UK Bills/Acts applying to Northern Ireland and Acts passed by the Assembly, see the positioning of the term 'Northern Ireland'. Examples of each are given below: UK legislation applying to Northern : Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill 2006/07 Northern Ireland Assembly legislation: Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 Bills introduced into the Northern Ireland Assembly can be found at the Northern Ireland Assembly website: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/

For further details on Northern Ireland Legislation can be found in HCIO factsheet available on the internet at: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/factsheets/l08.cfm

Abbreviations:

U	Urgent Procedure	D	Delegated Legislation Committee
G	Northern Ireland Grand committee	O	Northern Ireland Order Grand Committee
A	Approved	N	Negative Procedure

Title and SI No.	Consultation on Proposal	NIGC	(Draft) Order Laid	Commons	Lords	Privy Council
Draft Guardian's Allowance Uprating (Northern Ireland) Order 2007	N/A		30.1.2007	19.3.2007 (D) 27.3.2007 (A)	22.2.2007 (A)
Draft Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2008	N/A		4.12.2007
Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2007	N/A		6.12.2007

Legislation of the Northern Ireland Assembly (s. 15 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998)

Some Northern Ireland Assembly Bills which include provisions dealing with exempted or reserved matters are required to be laid before Parliament for a period of 20 sitting days before being presented for Royal Assent. If a motion, signed by not less than 20 Members, disapproving of the Bill is tabled in either House during the 20-day period, the Bill shall not be presented for Royal Assent unless the motion is rejected or withdrawn. The date of tabling of any such motion will be shown below.

Assembly Bills of this type which the Secretary of State deems urgent (U) may be presented for Royal Assent before being laid before Parliament. Such Acts of the Assembly are then required to be laid before Parliament for 20 sitting days. If a motion, signed by not less than 20 Members, praying that the Act shall cease to have effect is tabled in either House during the 20-day period the Act and is agreed to, the Act of the Assembly may be repealed by Order in Council. The date of tabling of any such motion will be shown below.

Delegated legislation dealing with certain reserved matters, are subject to Parliamentary procedure at Westminster. The Parliamentary stages of any such legislation are detailed below.

DLSC	-	Draft Order considered by a Delegated Legislation Standing Committee in the House of Commons.
NIGC	-	Proposal for a draft Order considered in the Northern Ireland Grand Committee.
U	-	Urgent Act or Order (not in draft form) laid before Parliament.
C	-	Consequential Order (not in draft form) laid before Parliament. (subject to negative procedure)
*	-	Taken formally.
SI	-	Statutory Instrument Number, shown after title
P	-	Provisional date for next stage i.e. PSC: 01.07.2007

Title of Bill or Act	Date Laid	Royal Assent
None