Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Background and Policy Objectives

   1. Independent Financial Review Panel

   2. Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

3. Consultation

   1. Independent Financial Review Panel

   2. Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

4. Overview

5. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1: The Independent Financial Review Panel

      1. Section 1: Establishment and membership of the Panel

      2. Section 2: Functions of the Panel

      3. Section 3: Independence and openness

      4. Section 4: Appointments to the Panel

      5. Section 5: Panel: disqualifications

      6. Section 6: Termination of membership of the Panel

      7. Section 7: Code of conduct for Panel members

      8. Section 8: Administration and finance

      9. Section 9: Annual report

      10. Section 10: Meetings of the Panel

      11. Section 11: Exercise of functions

      12. Section 12: Contents of determinations: salaries and allowances

      13. Section 13: Contents of determinations: pensions, gratuities and allowances

      14. Section 14: Availability of determinations

      15. Section 15: Meaning of “the Panel”

   2. Part 2: The Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

      1. Section 16: Establishment of the Commissioner

      2. Section 17: Functions of the Commissioner

      3. Section 18: Independence of the Commissioner

      4. Section 19: Appointment of the Commissioner

      5. Section 20: Commissioner: disqualifications

      6. Section 21: Termination of the Commissioner’s appointment

      7. Section 22: Further provision about the Commissioner

      8. Section 23: Appointment of an Acting Commissioner

      9. Section 24: Directions to the Commissioner

      10. Section 25: Investigations by the Commissioner

      11. Section 26: Further investigations

      12. Section 27: Reports

      13. Section 28: Power to call for witnesses and documents

      14. Section 29: Witnesses and documents: notice

      15. Section 30: Witnesses: oaths

      16. Section 31: Offences

      17. Section 32: Protection from defamation actions

      18. Section 33: Restriction on disclosure of information

   3. Part 3: Supplementary provisions

      1. Section 34: Transitional provisions

      2. Section 35: Orders

      3. Section 36: Consequential amendments

      4. Section 37: Interpretation: general

      5. Section 38: Commencement

      6. Section 39: Short title

6. Schedules

   1. Schedule 1: Disqualification from membership of the Panel

   2. Schedule 2: Panel: administrative and financial arrangements

   3. Schedule 3: Disqualification from being appointed or serving as the Commissioner

   4. Schedule 4: Commissioner: further provision

   5. Schedule 5: Consequential amendments

7. Hansard Reports