The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

1. Introductory Text

2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

   1. 1. Citation and commencement

   2. 2. Interpretation – general

3. PART II GAS SUPPLY AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES

   1. Interpretation

      1. 3. Interpretation of Part II

   2. Introductory

      1. 4. The Director General of Gas for Northern Ireland

      2. 5. General duties of the Department and Director

   3. Licensing of supply of gas and associated activities

      1. 6. Prohibition on unlicensed supply of gas and associated activities

      2. 7. Exemptions from Article 6

      3. 8. Licences authorising supply, etc.

      4. 9. Exclusive licences under Article 8(1)(a) or (c)

      5. 10. Conditions of licences

      6. 11. Standard conditions of licences

      7. 12. Assignment of licences

      8. 13. Powers of licence holders

   4. Modification of licences

      1. 14. Modification by agreement

      2. 15. Modification references to Monopolies Commission

      3. 16. Reports on modification references

      4. 17. Modification following report

      5. 18. Modification by order under other statutory provisions

   5. Enforcement of preceding provisions

      1. 19. Orders for securing compliance

      2. 20. Procedural requirements

      3. 21. Validity and effect of orders

   6. Meters

      1. 22. Meter testing and stamping

   7. Consumer protection: miscellaneous

      1. 23. Functions with respect to competition

      2. 24. Fixing of maximum charges for reselling gas

   8. Investigation of complaints

      1. 25. Investigation of enforcement matters

      2. 26. Investigation of certain other matters

   9. Other functions of Director

      1. 27. General functions

      2. 28. Publication of information and advice

      3. 29. Keeping of register

      4. 30. Power to require information, etc.

      5. 31. Duty to consider representations and give reasons

      6. 32. Annual and other reports

   10. Provisions with respect to the General Consumer Council

       1. 33. General duty of the General Consumer Council to advise Director, etc.

       2. 34. Reports of the General Consumer Council

   11. Major pipe-lines, gas storage facilities and gas processing facilities

       1. 35. Consent of Director for construction of major pipe-line

       2. 36. Increase of capacity, etc. of pipe-line

       3. 37. Consent of Director for construction of gas storage facility

       4. 38. Increase of capacity of gas storage facility

       5. 39. Acquisition of rights to use gas processing facilities

   12. Miscellaneous

       1. 40. Directions for preserving security of gas supplies, etc.

       2. 41. Exclusion of certain agreements from Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976

       3. 42. Disposal of assets of former gas undertaker to require consent of Department

       4. 43. Transfer to licence holder of assets and liabilities of former gas undertaker

       5. 44. General restrictions on disclosure of information

       6. 45. Directions restricting the use of certain information

       7. 46. Making of false statements, etc.

   13. Supplemental

       1. 47. Concurrent proceedings

       2. 48. Public inquiries

4. PART III SAFETY

   1. Interpretation

      1. 49. Interpretation of Part III

   2. Safety of pipe-lines

      1. 50. Power of Department to impose requirements with respect to mode of construction, etc., of pipe-lines

      2. 51. Enforcement of requirements imposed under Article 50

      3. 52. Prohibition of use of length of pipe-line not complying with requirements imposed under Article 50

      4. 53. Power of Department to impose requirements with respect to examination, repair, etc., of pipe-lines

      5. 54. Power of Department to cause action to be taken to render pipe-line safe on abandonment or cesser of use

      6. 55. Prohibition by Department of use or testing of pipe-line

   3. Avoidance of damage to pipe-lines by buildings, &c.

      1. 56. Power of Department, where pipe-line imperilled by building or structure, to order demolition thereof or execution of remedial works

      2. 57. Power of the Department to remove deposits imperilling pipe-line

      3. 58. Compensation in respect of restrictions under Articles 56 and 57

   4. Information, hearings and notices

      1. 59. Notification of abandonment, cesser of use and beginning or resumption of use of pipe-lines or lengths thereof

      2. 60. Fire authority, police, etc., to he notified of certain pipe-line accidents and to he furnished with information

      3. 61. Notification of change of ownership of pipe-line

      4. 62. Regulations as to hearings under this Part

      5. 63. Provisions as to requirements and prohibitions imposed under this Part

   5. Miscellaneous

      1. 64. Standards of quality

      2. 65. Powers of entry

5. PART IV SUPPLEMENTAL

   1. 66. Repayment of fees

   2. 67. Compensation

   3. 68. Application to Crown land

   4. 69. Regulations and orders

   5. 70. Directions

   6. 71. Amendments, transitional provisions, savings and repeals

6. Signature

7. SCHEDULES:

   1. Schedule 1

      The Director General of Gas for Northern Ireland.

   2. Schedule 2

      Compulsory Acquisition of Land.

      1. Part I Compulsory acquisition of land by licence holders.

      2. Part II Licence holders' land excluded from compulsory acquisition.

   3. Schedule 3

      Other powers, etc., of licence holders.

   4. Schedule 4

      Orders under Article 56.

   5. Schedule 5

      Powers of Entry, etc.

   6. Schedule 6

      Amendments.

   7. Schedule 7

      Transitional and Saving Provisions.

   8. Schedule 8

      Repeals.

8. Explanatory Note