The Social Security Investigation Powers (Arrangements with Great Britain) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security Investigation Powers (Arrangements with Great Britain) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and shall come into operation on 1st March 2007.

(2) In these Regulations, “the 1992 Act” means the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(1).

Amendment of Schedule 2 to the Social Security (Great Britain Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations

2.—(1) The Social Security (Great Britain Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1976(2) are amended as follows.

(2) In Part I of Schedule 2 (adaptations of certain provisions of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Act 1975)—

(a) in column 1, omit “Section 135(2)”;

(b) in column 2, omit “Section 144(2)”; and

(c) in column 3, omit “Powers of inspectors”.

Single system of investigation powers; adaptations to the 1992 Act

3.—(1) The arrangements for a single system of social security investigation powers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland set out in the Memorandum reproduced in Schedule 1 shall have effect in Northern Ireland.

(2) The 1992 Act shall have effect subject to such adaptations as may be required for the purpose of giving effect to those arrangements.

(3) In particular (and without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (2) and so far as may be required for the purpose mentioned in that paragraph)—

(a) an act, omission or event referred to in a provision of the Great Britain legislation specified in column 2 of the table in Schedule 2 shall be deemed to be an act, omission or event under the provision of the 1992 Act specified in the corresponding paragraph of column 1 of that table; and

(b) in the provisions specified in column 1 of that table—

(i) references to the Department shall be construed as including references to the Secretary of State, and

(ii) references to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive shall be construed as including an authority administering housing benefit or council tax benefit.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 7th February 2007

John O’Neill

A senior officer of the Department for Social Development