Final
Section 17 – Northern Ireland
65.Subsection (1) amends Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which specifies excepted matters, by inserting in it regulation of activities in Antarctica (as defined in section 1 of the 1994 Act), with the effect that this matter is included among those not devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Subsection (2) gives subsection (1) retrospective effect to the date that Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act came into force.
Section 18 – Extent, commencement and short title
66.The Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Subsection (2) provides in addition that powers in the 1994 Act to extend provisions to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or any British overseas territory by Order in Council may be exercised in respect of the provisions in Part 1 of the Act and the provisions of the Antarctic Act 1994 as amended by sections 14 to 16.
67.Subsection (3) provides for Part 1 of the Act to come into force on a date appointed by order of the Secretary of State. It is proposed that such an order would be made to coincide with the entry into force of the Liability Annex, which will occur when all 28 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties which adopted it in 2005 have approved it.
68.Subsection (4) provides for sections 14 to 16 of the Act to come into force two months after Royal Assent.