The Department of Justice
1.—(1) There shall be established a Northern Ireland department to be known as the Department of Justice.
(2) The purpose of that department is to exercise functions consisting wholly or mainly of devolved policing and justice functions within the meaning of section 21A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47).
(3) In the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (NI 1) in Schedule 1 (which lists the Northern Ireland departments) at the appropriate place insert—
“The Department of Justice”.
(4) In the Ombudsman (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (NI 8) in Schedule 2 (which lists the bodies subject to investigation) at the appropriate place insert—
“The Department of Justice”.
(5) The statutory provisions mentioned in the Schedule (which refer to the department established by this section) are amended as set out in that Schedule.
Minister in charge of Department of Justice
2.—(1) The Department of Justice is to be in the charge of a Northern Ireland Minister appointed by virtue of a nomination—
(a)made by one or more members of the Assembly; and
(b)approved by a resolution of the Assembly passed with the support of—
(i)a majority of the members voting on the motion for the resolution,
(ii)a majority of the designated Nationalists voting, and
(iii)a majority of the designated Unionists voting.
(2) Expressions used in subsection (1) and in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 have the same meanings in that subsection as in that Act.
Short title and commencement
3.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010.
(2) Sections 1 and 2 and the Schedule come into operation on such day or days as the First Minister and deputy First Minister, acting jointly, may by order appoint.