Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Miscellaneous

Transitional provisions

34.—(1) This section applies to any complaint or matter which on the day on which section 17 comes into operation—

(a) has been referred to the Assembly Commissioner for Standards; and

(b) is, or but for the provisions of this Part would be, the subject of an investigation by that Commissioner under Standing Order 69A.

(2) On the day on which section 17 comes into operation, any complaint or matter to which this section applies shall be transferred to the Commissioner and—

(a) shall be deemed to have been referred to the Commissioner under section 17; and

(b) Part 2 shall apply to any such matter.

(3) All information which has been obtained by or made available to the Assembly Commissioner for Standards in connection with a complaint or matter to which this section applies shall be transferred or made available to the Commissioner and shall be treated as if it had been received by the Commissioner on a referral under section 17.

(4) In this section “Assembly Commissioner for Standards” means the Assembly Commissioner for Standards established under Standing Order 69A(1).

Orders

35.  The Commission shall be a rule-making authority for the purposes of the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (NI 12).

Consequential amendments

36.  The amendments in Schedule 5 (being amendments consequential on the provisions of this Act) shall have effect.

Interpretation: general

37.—(1) In this Act—

“the 1998 Act” means the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47);

“the Commission” means the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission;

“the Commissioner” means the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards established by section 16;

“the Presiding Officer” means the Presiding Officer of the Assembly elected under section 39 of the 1998 Act; and

“staff of the Assembly” means staff appointed by the Commission under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 5 to the 1998 Act.

(2) “Standing Order 69A” means Standing Order 69A of the standing orders of the Assembly as amended on 29 June 2010 and includes any provision in the standing orders of the Assembly amending or replacing Standing Order 69A.

Commencement

38.—(1) The following provisions come into operation on the day on which this Act receives Royal Assent—

(a) Part 1 and Schedules 1 and 2;

(b) in Part 2, sections 16, 18 to 24 and Schedules 3 and 4;

(c) this Part and Schedule 5.

(2) The other provisions of this Act come into operation on such day or days as the Commission may by order appoint.

Short title

39.  This Act may be cited as the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.