Explanatory Memorandum

Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

2015 CHAPTER 8

24 July 2015

Commentary on Sections

Part 4 – Controlled Reservoirs: Other requirements

Section 56 – Incident reporting

This section enables the Department to make provision in regulations for reporting incidents which may affect the safety of controlled reservoirs. Subsection (2) provides an indicative list of the contents of the regulations.

Subsection (3) provides that, where it appears to the Secretary of State that information in relation to an incident would adversely affect national security, the Secretary of State may by notice direct the reservoir manager or other person who has prepared the incident report as regards the withholding or disclosing information, publication or storage of the incident report or copies of it. The notice may also require the person on whom it is served not to give anyone any indication of the existence of the information as it specifies..

Before making regulations for incident reporting the Department must comply with the consultation requirements specified in subsection (6).