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The Northern Ireland Act 1998

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Text: British Parliament ... Page Compiled: Fionnuala McKenna

Northern Ireland Act 1998

1998 Chapter 47

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
PRELIMINARY
Section
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.	Entrenched enactments.
8.	Consent of Secretary of State required in certain cases.
*Scrutiny and stages of Bills*
9.	Scrutiny by Ministers.
10.	Scrutiny by Presiding Officer.
11.	Scrutiny by the Judicial Committee.
12.	Reconsideration where reference made to ECJ.
13.	Stages of Bills.
*Royal Assent*
14.	Submission by Secretary of State.
15.	Parliamentary control where consent given.
PART III
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES
Authorities
16.	First Minister and deputy First Minister.
17.	Ministerial offices.
18.	Northern Ireland Ministers.
19.	Junior Ministers.
20.	The Executive Committee.
21.	Northern Ireland departments.
*Functions*
22.	Statutory functions.
23.	Prerogative and executive powers.
24.	Community law, Convention rights etc.
25.	Excepted and reserved matters.
26.	International obligations.
27.	Quotas for purposes of international etc obligations.
28.	Agency arrangements between UK and NI departments.
*Miscellaneous*
29.	Statutory committees.
30.	Exclusion of Ministers from office.
PART IV
THE NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
Elections etc
31.	Dates of elections and dissolutions.
32.	Extraordinary elections.
33.	Constituencies and numbers of members.
34.	Elections and franchise.
35.	Vacancies.
*Disqualification*
36.	Disqualification.
37.	Effect of disqualification and provision for relief.
38.	Disqualification: judicial proceedings.
*Presiding Officer and Commission*
39.	Presiding Officer.
40.	Commission.
*Proceedings etc.*
41.	Standing orders.
42.	Petitions of concern.
43.	Members' interests.
44.	Power to call for witnesses and documents.
45.	Witnesses and documents: offences.
46.	Witnesses: oaths.
*Remuneration and pensions*
47.	Remuneration of members.
48.	Pensions of members.
*Miscellaneous*
49.	Letters Patent etc.
50.	Privilege.
51.	Resignation of members.
PART V
NSMC, BIC, BIIC ETC.
52.	North-South Ministerial Council and British-Irish Council.
53.	Agreements etc. by persons participating in Councils.
54.	British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
55.	Implementation bodies.
56.	Civic Forum.
PART VI
FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Consolidated Fund
57.	Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland.
58.	Payments into the Fund.
59.	Payments out of Fund without appropriation Act.
60.	Financial control, accounts and audit.
*Advances*
61.	Advances by Secretary of State.
62.	Accounts.
*Miscellaneous*
63.	Financial acts of the Assembly.
64.	Draft budgets.
65.	Audit.
66.	Expenses of Northern Ireland Audit Office.
67.	Provision of information to Treasury.
PART VII
HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Human rights
68.	The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
69.	The Commission's functions.
70.	Assistance by Commission.
71.	Restrictions on application of rights.
72.	Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights: dissolution.
*Equality of opportunity*
73.	The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
74.	The Commission's principal functions.
75.	Statutory duty on public authorities.
76.	Discrimination by public authorities.
77.	Unlawful oaths etc.
78.	Removal of restrictions on investigation into maladministration.
PART VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Judicial scrutiny
79.	Devolution issues.
80.	Legislative power to remedy ultra vires acts.
81.	Powers of courts or tribunals to vary retrospective decisions.
82.	The Judicial Committee.
83.	Interpretation of Acts of the Assembly etc.
*Power to make provision by Order in Council*
84.	Provision with respect to certain matters relating to Northern Ireland.
85.	Provision dealing with certain reserved matters.
86.	Provision for purposes consequential on Act etc.
*Social security, child support and pensions*
87.	Consultation and co-ordination.
88.	The Joint Authority.
89.	Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.
*Discrimination: certificates by Secretary of State*
90.	Effect of certificates.
91.	The Tribunal.
92.	Appeals from the Tribunal.
*Miscellaneous*
93.	Parliament Buildings etc.
94.	Land purchase annuities etc.
PART IX
SUPPLEMENTAL
95.	Savings for existing laws.
96.	Orders and regulations.
97.	Financial provision.
98.	Interpretation.
99.	Minor and consequential amendments.
100.	Transitional provisions, savings and repeals.
101.	Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULES:
Schedule 1	Polls for the purposes of section 1.
Schedule 2	Excepted matters.
Schedule 3	Reserved matters.
Schedule 4	Annex A to Strand One of Belfast Agreement.
Schedule 5	Northern Ireland Assembly Commission.
Schedule 6	Standing orders: further provision.
Schedule 7	The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Schedule 8	The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Schedule 9	Equality: enforcement of duties.
Schedule 10	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 11	Tribunal established under section 91.
Schedule 12	Construction of references in existing laws.
Schedule 13	Minor and consequential amendments.
Schedule 14	Transitional provisions and savings.
Schedule 15	Repeals.

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