12.—(1) This paragraph applies where the office of the Ombudsman is vacant.
(2) Her Majesty may, on the nomination of the Assembly, appoint an acting Ombudsman at any time during the period of 12 months beginning with the date on which the vacancy arose.
(3) The acting Ombudsman is to be regarded as the Ombudsman except—
(a)for the purposes of section 3(1) to (4),
(b)that the salary payable under paragraph 6 may be of a different amount to that payable to the Ombudsman,
(c)that the pension arrangements under paragraph 7 may be different to arrangements in respect of the Ombudsman,
(d)that the terms and conditions of appointment under paragraph 8 may be different to the terms and conditions of appointment of the Ombudsman.
(4) The acting Ombudsman holds office until either—
(a)the appointment of a new Ombudsman, or
(b)the expiry of the period of 12 months beginning on the date on which the vacancy arose,
whichever comes first.
(5) A person who is disqualified from being appointed as the Ombudsman is disqualified from being appointed as the acting Ombudsman.
(6) A person appointed as acting Ombudsman may have previously held office as the Ombudsman.
(7) A person appointed as acting Ombudsman is not disqualified from being appointed as the Ombudsman by virtue of that fact.
(8) A person appointed as acting Ombudsman is also to be regarded as holding office as Ombudsman for the purposes of section 9A(2) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Ombudsman).