The Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Supplemental N.I.

Powers to make regulations N.I.

64.—(1) Regulations made under any provision of this Part may provide for the determination of questions of fact or of law which may arise in giving effect to the regulations and for regulating (otherwise than in relation to any court proceedings) any matters relating to the practice and procedure to be followed in connection with the determination of such questions, including provision—

(a) as to the mode of proof of any matter;

(b) as to parties and their representation;

(c) for the right to appear before and be heard by the Department, the Director and other authorities; and

(d) as to awarding costs of proceedings for the determination of such questions, including the amount of the costs and the enforcement of the awards.

(2) Regulations made under any provision of this Part which prescribe a period within which things are to be done may provide for extending the period so prescribed.

(3) Regulations made under any provision of this Part may—

(a) provide for anything falling to be determined under the regulations to be determined by such persons, in accordance with such procedure and by reference to such matters and to the opinion of such persons as may be prescribed;

(b) make such supplemental, consequential and transitional provision as the Department or, as the case may be, the Director considers appropriate.

Concurrent proceedings N.I.

65.—(1) Where an application or a reference is made by a licence holder under this Part in connection with any matter, the proceedings which—

(a) are required under this Part to be taken in relation to that application or reference; and

(b) if applicable, are required by [F1 sections 40 to 44 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011] to be taken for the purpose of planning permission;

may, where the Department concerned so directs, be taken concurrently (so far as practicable).

(2) In this Article “the Department concerned” means the Department, or where the matter to which the application or reference relates is a function of some other Department, the Department and that other Department acting jointly.

F1 Words in art. 65(1)(b) substituted (13.2.2015 for certain purposes otherwise 1.4.2015) by Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 25), ss. 252, 254(1), Sch. 6 para. 59 (with s. 211); S.R. 2015/49, arts 2, 3, Sch. 1 (with transitional provisions in Sch. 2)

Public inquiries N.I.

66.—(1) The Department may cause an inquiry to be held in any case where the Department considers it advisable to do so in connection with

[F2 (a) any matter arising under this Part or the Electricity (Single Wholesale Market) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007; or

(b) any matter relating to electricity arising under the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (other than a matter in respect of which any functions of the Authority under Part VI of that Order are or may be exercisable).]

(2) Without prejudice to section 23 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954F3 , the Department may make rules regulating the procedure to be followed in connection with inquiries held by or on behalf of the Department under this Part.

(3) Where—

(a) an inquiry is to be held under this Part in connection with any matter; and

(b) in the case of some other matter required or authorised (whether by this Part or by any other statutory provision) to be the subject of an inquiry ( “the other inquiry”), it appears to the Department concerned that the matters are so far cognate that they should be considered together,

the Department concerned may direct that the 2 inquiries be held concurrently or combined as one inquiry.

(4) In paragraph (3) “the Department concerned” means the Department, or where causing the other inquiry to be held is a function of some other Department, the Department and that other Department acting jointly.

F2 Words in art. 66(1) substituted (20.6.2007) by Electricity (Single Wholesale Market) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/913 (N.I. 7)), arts. 1(3), 12, Sch. 4 para. 8; S.R. 2007/303, art. 2, Sch.

F3 1954 c. 33 (NI)

Application to Crown land N.I.

67.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4), the provisions of this Part shall have effect in relation to Crown land as they have effect in relation to land which is not Crown land.

(2) The powers conferred by or under Schedule 3 shall not be exercisable in relation to Crown land, to the extent of the estate therein held by or on behalf of the Crown.

(3) The powers conferred by or under—

(a) Schedules 3 and 4; and

(b) subject to paragraph (4), Schedule 6,

shall not, except with the consent of the appropriate authority, be exercisable in relation to Crown land.

(4) The powers conferred by or under Schedule 6 shall, without the consent of the appropriate authority, be exercisable in relation to Crown land, to the extent of any estate therein for the time being held otherwise than by or on behalf of the Crown.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1) a Northern Ireland department may dispose of land vested in that department on such financial and other conditions as that department may consider appropriate.

(6) In this Article any reference to the Crown includes a reference to Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland.

(7) In this Article—

• “the appropriate authority”, in relation to any land, means—

  (a)

  in the case of land belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown and forming part of the Crown Estate, the Crown Estate Commissioners;

  (b)

  in the case of any other land belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown, the government department having the management of that land;

  (c)

  in the case of land belonging to a government department or held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department, that government department;

  and, if any question arises as to what authority is the appropriate authority in relation to any land, that question shall be referred to the Department of Finance and Personnel or, as the case may be, the Treasury, whose decision shall be final;

• “Crown estate” means an estate—

  (a)

  belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown; or

  (b)

  belonging to a government department or held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department;

• “Crown land” means land in which there is a Crown estate;

• “government department” includes a department of the Government of the United Kingdom.

(8) A person who is entitled to occupy Crown land by virtue of a licence in writing shall be treated for the purposes of this Article as having an estate in land.