The Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations are made in consequence of the amendments to the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (“the 1991 Order”) by the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (“the 1998 Order”) which transfers to the Department of Health and Social Services functions of child support officers under Article 15 of the 1991 Order and alters the way first tier decisions are made and changed. They amend the Child Support (Maintenance Assessment Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and the Child Support Departure Direction and Consequential Amendments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 to make provision as to when and how a decision may be revised or superseded and the date from which a revision or supersession takes effect. The Regulations also make consequential amendments and revocations.

Articles 18, 19, 22 and 47 of, and paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 4C to, the 1991 Order, some of the enabling provisions under which these Regulations are made, were substituted, amended or inserted by Articles 40 to 42 of, and paragraphs 31 and 37 of Schedule 6 to, the 1998 Order. The Social Security (1998 Order) (Commencement No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1998 (S.R. 1998 No. 395 (C. 19)) provides for the coming into operation of paragraph 31(a) of Schedule 6 on 16th November 1998 and Article 40 on 7th December 1998. The Social Security (1998 Order) (Commencement No. 4) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 102 (C. 13)) provides for the coming into operation of—

• Articles 41 and 42, in relation to the substitution of enabling provisions for these Regulations;

• paragraph 31 of Schedule 6, in so far as it is not already in operation; and

• paragraph 37 of Schedule 6,

for the purpose only of authorising the making of regulations, on 10th March 1999.