Statutory Instruments
1999 No. 664
NORTHERN IRELAND
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
The Northern Ireland (Royal Assent to Bills) Order 1999
Made
10th March 1999
Coming into force in accordance with Article 1(1)
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 10th day of March 1999
Present,
The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council
Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on Her by section 49(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998(1), is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:
Citation, commencement and interpretation
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Northern Ireland (Royal Assent to Bills) Order 1999 and shall come into force on the appointed day(2).
(2) In this Order, references to Letters Patent are to Letters Patent signed with Her Majesty’s own hand signifying Her Assent to a Bill passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Form and manner of preparation
2.—(1) Letters Patent are to take the form set out in the Schedule to this Order, subject only to such variations as are specified in the Schedule itself or are necessitated by circumstances to be referred to in the Letters Patent on a particular occasion.
(2) They may be prepared on paper or parchment, and may be printed or written or partly printed and partly written.
Publication
3. Letters Patent are to be published in the Belfast Gazette.
A.K. Galloway
Clerk of the Privy Council
Article 2(1)
SCHEDULEFORM OF LETTERS PATENT(3)
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Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Order)
Under section 5(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, a Bill becomes an Act at the beginning of the day on which Letters Patent signifying Royal Assent are notified to the Presiding Officer of the Assembly. This Order in Council prescribes a standard form for the Letters Patent.
The Order also requires the Letters Patent to be published in the Belfast Gazette.
“the appointed day” is defined in section 3(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Where the Royal Assent is given to more than one Bill this form shall be modified accordingly.