Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954

41Definitions for parliamentary purposes.N.I.

(1)In an enactment the expression—

  • [F1“Assembly” means the Northern Ireland Assembly;]

  • “House of Commons”, when used without qualification [F2 in any enactment passed or made before 1st January 1974], shall mean House of Commons of Northern Ireland;

  • “Parliament”, when used without qualification [F2 in any enactment passed or made before 1st January 1974], shall mean Parliament of Northern Ireland;

  • “Senate” shall mean the Senate of Northern Ireland.

[F3(2)In any Act passed after the thirtieth day of May, nineteen hundred and fifty, “statutory period” means a period comprising—

(a)ten days on which the [F4Assembly] has sat; or

F5(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)thirty days;

whichever period is the longest, such days being reckoned without regard to whether they occur during one or more than one session of the same [F4Assembly] or of different [F4Assemblies] F5… .]

[F2(3)Where, under any enactment, a statutory instrument or statutory document is required to be laid before the Assembly, the delivery of a copy of the instrument or document to the Business Office of the Assembly on any day during the existence of an Assembly shall for all purposes be deemed to be the laying of it before the Assembly.]

(4)The expression “subject to affirmative resolution” when used in relation to any statutory instruments or statutory documents shall mean that those instruments or documents shall not come into operation unless and until affirmed by a resolution of [F2the Assembly].

Subs. (5) rep. by SI 1999/663

(6)The expression “subject to negative resolution” when used in relation to any statutory instruments or statutory documents shall mean that those instruments or documents shall, as soon as may be after they are made, be laid before [F2the Assembly, and if the Assembly], within the statutory period next after any such instrument or document has been so laid, resolves that the instrument or document shall be annulled, the instrument or document shall be void as from the date of the resolution, but without prejudice to the validity of anything done thereunder or to the making of a new instrument or document.

Subs. (7) rep. by SI 1999/663

F1SI 1973/2163

F2SI 1999/663

F4SI 1973/2163

F5SI 1973/2163

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C62S. 41(3) applied (16.5.2019) by Offensive Weapons Act 2019 (c. 17), ss. 68(7), 70(5)(n)

C64S. 41(3) applied (11.11.2020 for specified purposes, 11.1.2021 in so far as not already in force) by Agriculture Act 2020 (c. 21), ss. 50(9), 57(1)(b)(c)(6) (with s. 50(10))

C65S. 41(3) applied (11.2.2021 for specified purposes, 1.8.2022 in so far as not already in force) by Pension Schemes Act 2021 (c. 1), ss. 102(6), 131(2)(a)(3)(a); S.R. 2022/197, art. 3(a)

C66S. 41(3) applied (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 16.4.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by 2002 c. 29, s. 303I(5) (as inserted by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 15, 58(1)(6); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 4(b); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 2(1)(f))

C67S. 41(3) applied (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 16.4.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by 2002 c. 29, s. 303F(9) (as inserted by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), ss. 15, 58(1)(6); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 4(b); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 2(1)(f))

C68S. 41(3) applied (28.2.2022) by 2021 c. 30, s. 47(2) (as inserted by Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(6)(7), Sch. 3 para. 28(4) (with s. 144); S.R. 2022/54, art. 2(1)(a))