Statutory Instruments

1996 No. 2879 (N.I. 21)

NORTHERN IRELAND

The Domestic Energy Efficiency Schemes (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Made

19th November 1996

Laid before Parliament

29th November 1996

Coming into operation

20th January 1997

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 19th day of November 1996

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

Whereas this Order is made only for purposes corresponding to those of section 142 of the [1996 c. 53.] Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the [1974 c. 28] Northern Ireland Act 1974 (as modified by section 149 of the said Act of 1996) and of all other powers enabling Her in that behalf, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:—

Title and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Domestic Energy Efficiency Schemes (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 and shall come into operation on the expiration of 2 months from the day on which it is made.

Interpretation

2. The [1954 c. 33 (N.I.).] Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Domestic energy efficiency schemes

3.—(1) In Article 17 of the [1990 NI 15.] Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 (grants for the improvement of energy efficiency in certain dwellings, &c.) for paragraph (1) (power to make grants) there shall be substituted—

“(1) The Department of Economic Development may make or arrange for the making of grants—

(a)towards the cost of carrying out work for the purpose of—

(i)improving the thermal insulation of dwellings, or

(ii)otherwise reducing or preventing the wastage of energy in dwellings (whether in connection with space or water heating, lighting, the use of domestic appliances or otherwise), and

(b)where any such work is, or is to be, carried out, towards the cost of providing persons with advice on reducing or preventing the wastage of energy in dwellings;

but no grants shall be made under this Article except in accordance with regulations made by that Department.”.

(2) In paragraph (10) of that Article, after the definition of “functions”, there shall be inserted—

““materials” includes space and water heating systems;”.

N. H. Nicholls

Clerk of the Privy Council

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made only for purposes corresponding to those of section 142 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Article 3 amends Article 17 of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 to modify and widen the scope of the power to pay grants towards the cost of improving the energy efficiency of dwellings and buildings in multiple occupation.