4.Legislative Context
4.1.The principal Order comprises the legislative framework for the payment of criminal damage compensation in Northern Ireland. Compensation is not payable for damage of £200 or less. If compensation is payable, a statutory deduction (of £200) will be made, but if more than one claim is made for the same property in a 12 month period, the statutory deduction will only be made once. Article 4 of the principal Order contains qualifying criteria for criminal damage compensation for agricultural buildings and property. Article 5 of the principal Order sets out the qualifying criteria for criminal damage compensation for property (other than agricultural buildings and property). This instrument is being made to create an additional criterion making community halls which benefit from specified rates exemption eligible to claim compensation for criminal damage without the need to fulfil the criteria in Article 5 of the principal Order. Community halls ineligible to claim under the additional criterion are still eligible to claim if they satisfy the existing criteria of Article 5 of the principal Order.
