Consultation
The consultation on the Act took place over the normal 12 week period and ended on 28 August 2009.
The consultation exercise was carried out using the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister Guidance on issue of consultation documents and issued to those on the list in that document. As it deals with trade directories it was also issued to the Data Publishers Association, the Periodical Publishers Association, Yell Limited and the European Association of Directory Publishers.
It was agreed with the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee of the Assembly that the Department would contact certain organisations offering additional briefing if requested. Accordingly contact was made with the NI Chamber of Commerce and the NI Branches of the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Confederation of British Industries. None of these organisations requested a briefing.
It was not expected that many organisations would respond, as it was proposed to re-enact with technical and relatively minor amendments certain provisions of the 1976 Order. Ten organisations responded. Seven had no comments.
The Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland Policy Unit welcomed the simplification of the law, the elimination of burdensome and unnecessary procedures and the bringing of NI law into line with that in GB.
Antrim Borough Council and Ballymena Borough Council welcomed the Act.