Explanatory Memorandum

Mesothelioma, etc., Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

2008 CHAPTER 9

2 July 2008

Commentary on Sections

Recovery of mesothelioma and other lump sum payments

Section 8: Amendment of Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997

Section 8 inserts a new Article 3A into the Recovery of Benefits Order, which provides the Department with the power to make regulations providing for the recovery of the lump sum payments set out in paragraph (2) of Article 3A.

Paragraph (1) of Article 3A sets out that the Department may by regulations make provision about the recovery of a lump sum payment to which paragraph (2) applies, where—

Paragraph (2) applies to—

Paragraph (3) sets out that regulations made under Article 3A may in particular—

Paragraph (4) provides that references in paragraph (1) to a payment in consequence of a disease are references to a payment made by or on behalf of a person who is, or is alleged to be, liable to any extent in respect of the disease.

Section 9: Regulations

Section 9 provides the Department with the power to make regulations, which includes power to make such incidental, supplementary, consequential or transitional provision as the Department thinks fit and provides for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter.

Section 10: Assembly control

Section 10 provides that any regulations made under section 1and the first regulations made undersection 2 are subject to the confirmatory procedure and that any other regulations made under any other provision of this Bill are subject to the negative resolution procedure.