8.—(1) The Department must issue a code governing the appointment of special advisers within 2 months of this section coming into operation.
(2) Where a Minister proposes to appoint a special adviser, such an appointment shall be subject to the terms of the code.
(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the code must provide that persons proposed for appointment as special advisers—
(a)must be subject to the same vetting procedures as persons to be appointed as Senior Civil Servants to the Northern Ireland Civil Service,
(b)must not be subject to further vetting procedures if they have been subject to vetting procedures in accordance with section 3.
(4) The Minister of Finance and Personnel must lay the code before the Assembly as soon as possible after it has been issued.
(5) All persons exercising functions in respect of the appointment of special advisers must have regard to the code.