The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2003

Statutory Instruments

2003 No. 55

NORTHERN IRELAND

EQUAL OPORTUNITIES

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2003

Made

14th January 2003

Coming into operation

15th January 2003

Whereas a draft of this Order has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament:

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 75(3)(a) and (d) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998(1), hereby makes the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2003 and shall come into operation on the day after the day on which it is made.

2.  The bodies listed in Schedule 1 to this Order (being bodies listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967(2)) are hereby designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

3.  The persons listed in Schedule 2 to this Order are hereby designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Paul Murphy

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Northern Ireland Office

14th January 2003

Article 2

SCHEDULE 1 Bodies listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

• National Biological Standards Board (UK)

• Postal Services Commission

• Consumer Council for Postal Services

Article 3

SCHEDULE 2 Persons designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

• Northern Ireland Assembly Commission

• Northern Ireland Audit Office

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order designates bodies for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The effect is to make the bodies listed in the Schedules to the Order “public authorities” for the purposes of that section. Such a public authority is subject to the statutory duties, set out in section 75(1) and (2), to have regard in carrying out its functions relating to Northern Ireland–

• to the need to promote equality of opportunity; and

• to the desirability of promoting good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

(1)

1998 c. 47

(2)

1967 c. 13