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Statutory Instruments

2000 No. 253

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

DEVOLUTION, WALES

The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 2000

Made

8th February 2000

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 8th day of February 2000

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

Whereas the draft of this Order has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales :

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in pursuance of sections 22, 24(1), 42(4) and 151(2) of, and paragraphs 1, 3 and 9 of Schedule 3 to, the Government of Wales Act 1998(1), is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:—

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 2000.

(2) This Order shall come into force on 16th February 2000 except that, in relation to the entry in Schedule 1 to this Order in respect of the Jobseekers Act 1995(2), this Order shall come into force on 1st April 2000.

(3) In this Order —

“the 1969 transfer order” means the Transfer of Functions (Wales) Order 1969(3);

“the 1978 transfer order” means the Transfer of Functions (Wales) (No. 1) Order 1978(4));

“the 1999 transfer order” means the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999(5);

“the Act” means the Government of Wales Act 1998;

“the Assembly” means the National Assembly for Wales;

“former function” means a function of the Assembly that was transferred to it by the 1999 transfer order but which, by virtue of article 4 of, and Schedule 3 to, this Order, ceases to be exercisable by the Assembly.

Transfer of functions etc.

2.—(1) Except as provided in this article, all functions of a Minister of the Crown under the enactments specified in Schedule 1 to this Order are, to the extent there specified and so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, transferred to the Assembly and the provisions contained in Schedule 1, in relation to the enactments specified therein, shall have effect.

(2) Where so directed in Schedule 1 functions exercisable by a Minister of the Crown shall, so far as exercisable in relation to Wales, be exercisable by the Assembly concurrently with the Minister.

(3) It is directed that (except in the case of functions which are exercisable by the Assembly “jointly” with a Minister of the Crown) functions under any of the enactments specified in Schedule 1 which are exercisable by a Minister of the Crown in relation to a cross-border body but which, by their nature, are not functions which can be specifically exercised in relation to Wales, shall be exercisable by the Assembly in relation to that body concurrently with the Minister of the Crown.

(4) Schedule 1 does not transfer any power under which provisions of an Act of Parliament may be brought into force by order made by a Minister of the Crown.

(5) Schedule 1 does not transfer any functions of the Lord Chancellor or the Attorney General.

Minister of the Crown functions exercisable with Assembly agreement

3.  It is directed that the functions exercisable by a Minister of the Crown under the enactments specified in Schedule 2 to this Order shall, so far as they are exercisable in relation to Wales and as specified in the said Schedule, be exercisable by the Minister only with the agreement of the Assembly.

Variation of the 1999 Transfer Order

4.  Schedule 3 (variation of the 1999 transfer order) to this Order shall have effect.

Miscellaneous Provisions

5.  A former function shall be exercisable by the Minister of the Crown by whom it was exercisable, in relation to Wales, immediately before 1st July 1999.

6.—(1) This article applies to any inquiry the procedures of which are prescribed by the Rules specified in Schedule 4 to this Order.

(2) In relation to any inquiry to which this article applies, references in each of the said Rules to “government policy” shall have effect as if they included reference to policy adopted or formulated by the Assembly.

(3) In relation to any inquiry to which this article applies and which is held or caused to be held other than by the Assembly, references to a government department shall have effect as if they included reference to the Assembly.

(4) In the preceding paragraph (3), reference to an inquiry does not include an inquiry held by an inspector where jurisdiction to determine the appeal to which that inquiry relates has been transferred to the inspector by the Assembly.

7.  Schedule 5 (modification of enactments) to this Order shall have effect.

8.  Any reference in this Order to a function of a Minister of the Crown under an enactment includes a reference to any functions of that Minister which are included in any scheme, regulations, rules, order, bye-laws or other instrument having effect under or in relation to that enactment, and the power to confer functions on that Minister by any such scheme, regulations, rules, order, bye-laws or other instrument shall have effect as a power to confer such functions on the Assembly.

9.—(1) This article applies where —

(a)any function under an enactment is expressly required to be exercised by two or more Ministers of the Crown acting jointly; and

(b)any transfer in respect thereof in this Order does not transfer to the Assembly the functions of all such Ministers of the Crown.

(2) Where this article applies, section 42 of the Act shall not have effect to allow the function to be exercised by the Assembly otherwise than in accordance with the joint action requirement.

Transfer of property etc.

10.  The provisions of section 23(1) of the Act shall not apply to any documentary or electronic records.

11.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), Schedule 6 (transfer of property, rights, liabilities etc from the Assembly to Ministers of the Crown) shall have effect.

(2) Schedule 6 does not apply to rights or liabilities relating to the employment of persons in Crown employment (as defined in section 191(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996(6)).

Revocation

12.  The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) (No.2) Order 1999(7) is revoked.

A.K. Galloway

Clerk of the Privy Council

Article 2

SCHEDULE 1ENACTMENTS CONFERRING FUNCTIONS TRANSFERRED ETC. BY ARTICLE 2

Public General Acts

Statutory Instruments

Article 3

SCHEDULE 2ENACTMENTS SUBJECT TO CONSTRAINT ON MINISTERIAL EXERCISE OF FUNCTIONS

Tax Credits Act 1999 (c. 10)

The function of the Secretary of State of making regulations under section 15 shall be exercisable only with the agreement of the Assembly.

Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 (c. 17)

The function of the Secretary of State under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 of making appointments to the Disability Rights Commission shall be exercisable only with the agreement of the Assembly so far as necessary to ensure that there is at all times one Commissioner who has been appointed with the agreement of the Assembly.

Article 4

SCHEDULE 3VARIATION OF THE 1999 TRANSFER ORDER

Schedule 1 to the 1999 transfer order is varied as follows :

(a)In the entry for the Harbours Act 1964 (c. 40), insert “14,” before “15” and omit the second paragraph.

(b)for the entry for the Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20) substitute

(c)for the entry for the Building Act 1984 (c. 55) substitute —

(d)for the entry for the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8) substitute —

(e)for the entry for the Water Industry Act 1991 substitute —

(f)for the entry for the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997, substitute —

(g)the entry in relation to the Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29) shall be omitted.

Article 6

SCHEDULE 4INQUIRIES PROCEDURE RULES

Article 7

SCHEDULE 5MODIFICATION OF ENACTMENTS

The Dentists Act 1984 (c. 24)

1.  In paragraph 1(2)(b) of Schedule 1 to the Dentists Act 1984 (General Dental Council and Committees of the Council: supplementary provisions) for “the Welsh Office” substitute “the National Assembly for Wales”.

The Housing and Planning Act 1986 (c. 63)

2.  Section 42 (recovery of Minister’s costs in connection with inquiries) shall have effect as if in subsection (2)(b) the reference to “government department” included reference to the Assembly.

Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14)

3.  In section 6(6)(b) of the Social Security Act 1998 (panel for appointment to appeal tribunals) for “Welsh Office” substitute “National Assembly for Wales”.

4.  In paragraph 8(2)(b) of Schedule 1 to that Act of 1998 (appeal tribunals: supplementary provisions) for “Welsh Office” substitute “National Assembly for Wales”.

The Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/1335)(32)

5.  In regulation 3 of the Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulations 1997 —

(a)at the end of paragraph (1)(a) omit “and”;

(b)in paragraph (1)(b) omit “and Wales” in both places; and

(c)after paragraph (1)(b) add, and,

(c)where placing on the market for the first time in Wales, shall be submitted for processing to the National Assembly for Wales who shall be the food assessment body in Wales for the purposes of that Regulation..

The Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients (Fees) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/1336)(33)

6.  In Regulation 3(1) of the Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients (Fees) Regulations 1997 —

(a)after “to the Secretary of State for Scotland or” (where it first appears) insert “to the National Assembly for Wales or”;

(b)after “or, as the case may be,” insert “to the Assembly or to”; and

(c)omit “, in connection with the services provided by him acting jointly with the Secretary of State for Health as the food assessment body for the purposes of that Regulation,”.

7.  After regulation 3(2), add as follows —

(3) The appropriate fee payable to the Minister under paragraph (1) above shall be in connection with the services provided by him acting jointly with the Secretary of State for Health as the food assessment body for the purposes of the said Regulation (EC) No. 258/97..

Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/2573)(34)

8.—(1) Paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 (employers exempted from insurance) to the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 is amended as follows.

(2) After “the Scottish Ministers” (where it first occurs) insert “or the National Assembly for Wales”.

(3) After “the Scottish Consolidated Fund” insert “or, in the case of a certificate issued by the National Assembly for Wales, out of monies provided by that Assembly”.

Article 11

SCHEDULE 6TRANSFER OF PROPERTY, RIGHTS, LIABILITIES ETC, FROM THE ASSEMBLY TO MINISTERS OF THE CROWN

1.  There shall be transferred to and vest in a Minister of the Crown all property, rights and liabilities to which the Assembly is entitled or subject, at the coming into force of this Order, in connection with any function exercisable by the Assembly which is transferred to that Minister by virtue of articles 4 and 5 of, and Schedule 3 to, this Order.

2.  There may be continued by or in relation to a Minister of the Crown anything (including legal proceedings) which relates to—

(a)any function exercisable by the Assembly which is so transferred by this Order to that Minister, or

(b)any property, rights or liabilities transferred by paragraph 1,

and which is in the process of being done by or in relation to the Assembly immediately before the coming into force of this Order.

3.  Anything which was done by the Assembly for the purpose of or in connection with —

(a)any function exercisable by the Assembly which is transferred by this Order,

(b)any property, rights or liabilities transferred by paragraph 1,

and which is in effect immediately before the coming into force of this Order shall have effect as if done by the Minister of the Crown to whom the functions are transferred by this Order.

4.  The Minister of the Crown to whom any function of the Assembly is transferred by this Order shall be substituted for the Assembly in any instruments, contracts or legal proceedings which relate to—

(a)any function exercisable by the Assembly which is transferred to that Minister by this Order, or

(b)any property, rights or liabilities transferred by paragraph 1,

and which are made or commenced before the coming into force of this Order.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Article 2(1) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Order provide (subject to the following provisions of article 2) for the exercise by the National Assembly for Wales (“the Assembly”) of statutory functions currently vested in Ministers of the Crown. All functions are vested in the Assembly for exercise in relation to Wales.

The functions which become exercisable by the Assembly in pursuance of this Order are functions under the enactments listed in Schedule 1. Listing is as follows –

Article 2(2) provides that certain functions are to be exercisable by the Assembly concurrently with a Minister of the Crown.

Article 2(3) provides generally that functions exercisable in relation to a cross-border body which, by their nature are not functions which can be specifically exercised in relation to Wales, are to be exercisable by the Assembly in relation to that body rather than in relation to Wales and are to be exercisable concurrently with the Minister of the Crown by whom they are exercisable.

Article 2(4) excludes from transfer any power under which provisions of an Act may be brought into force by order.

Article 2(5) excludes from transfer any functions of the Lord Chancellor or the Attorney General.

Article 3 of and Schedule 2 to the Order provide, in pursuance of section 22(1)(c) of the Government of Wales Act 1998, that functions of a Minister of the Crown under the enactments specified in Schedule 2 are to be exercisable in relation to Wales only with the agreement of the Assembly.

Article 4 of and Schedule 3 to the Order provides for variation of the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) in relation to entries for certain Acts in Schedule 1 to that Order.

Article 5 provides that, where a function that had been transferred to the Assembly by S.I. 1999/672 ceases to be exercisable by it by virtue of the Order, the function shall be exercisable by the Minister of the Crown by whom it was exercisable in relation to Wales immediately before 1st July 1999 (being the date that S.I. 1999/672 transferred the function to the Assembly).

Article 6 applies to the Assembly and its policies certain provisions applicable to government departments and government policy in the various inquiry procedure Rules specified in Schedule 4 to the Order.

Article 7 of, and Schedule 5 to, the Order modify certain enactments.

Article 8 provides that the vesting in the Assembly of functions exercisable under any enactment includes functions exercisable by virtue of subordinate legislation made thereunder.

Article 9 provides that section 42 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 shall not empower a function to be exercised by the Assembly on its own in cases where there is a statutory requirement for joint action which has been preserved by not transferring to the Assembly the function of all the Ministers who are required to act jointly.

Article 10 provides for the exclusion of documentary or electronic records from transfer to the Assembly as would otherwise take place by virtue of section 23 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 (general transfer of property, right and liabilities etc.).

Article 11 of, and Schedule 6 to, the Order provide for the transfer to Ministers of the Crown of property, rights, liabilities etc. of the Assembly in relation to those functions that are transferred to Ministers of the Crown in consequence of the functions ceasing to be exercisable by the Assembly by virtue of the Order.

Article 12 revokes the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) (No. 2) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2787). This is in consequence of the new entry for the Water Industry Act 1991 inserted into S.I. 1999/672 by Schedule 3 to the Order. That new entry in varying the original entry for that Act in S.I. 1999/672 has included the functions transferred under S.I. 1999/2787.

(3)

S.I. 1969/388.

(4)

S.I. 1978/272.

(5)

S.I. 1999/672.

(7)

S.I. 1999/2787.

(8)

See Schedule 1 to the 1999 transfer order as to other provisions made in respect of this Act of 1968.

(9)

1971 c. 78. Sections 250 to 252 are continued in force by section 48(2)(b) of the Housing and Planning Act 1986 (c. 63) and by paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 3 to the Planning (Consequential Provisions) Act 1990 (c. 11).

(10)

See Schedule 1 to the 1999 transfer order as to other provision made in respect of this Act of 1985.

(11)

See Schedules 1 and 2 to the 1999 transfer order as to other provision made in respect of this Act of 1990.

(12)

See Schedule 1 to the 1999 transfer order as to other provision made in respect of this Act of 1996.

(13)

See Schedule 1 to the 1999 transfer order as to other provision made in respect of this Act of 1998.

(14)

S.I. 1986/1272 amended by S.I.s 1989/687 and 1994/452.

(15)

S.I. 1989/424 amended by S.I. 1996/1946.

(16)

S.I. 1989/1263 amended by S.Is 1990/880 and 1996/593.

(17)

S.I.1991/2242 amended by S.Is 19942853 and 1998/12.

(18)

S.I. 1992/2111 amended by S.Is 1993/405, 1994/2286 and 1997/166.

(20)

S.I. 1994/1985 amended by S.Is 1995/1483, 1996/1487, 1998/2922 and 1999/1109.

(21)

There are amendments to S.I. 1995/77 which are not relevent to this order.

(24)

S.I. 1995/1576 amended by S.I. 1998/1365.

(25)

S.I. 1996/2005 amended by S.I. 1996/2561.

(26)

S.I. 1996/2999 amended by S.I. 1997/195.

(27)

S.I. 1996/3124 amended by S.Is 1997/2023 and 1998/994.

(28)

S.I. 1996/3241 amended by S.Is 1997/1901, 1998/871, 1999/639 and 1999/1179.

(29)

S.I. 1997/2893 amended by S.I. 1998/2880.

(30)

S.I. 1998/2573 to which there is a relevant amendment by S.I. 1999/1820.

(31)

S.I. 1999/1103 amended by S.I. 1999/1554.

(32)

S.I. 1997/1335 amended by S.I. 1999/1756 and 1999/3182

(33)

S.I. 1997/ 1336 amended by S.I. 1999/1756

(34)

S.I. 1998/2573 to which there is a relevant amendment by S.I. 1999/1820