The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2004

Statutory Instruments

2004 No. 1957

NORTHERN IRELAND

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2004

Made

22nd July 2004

Coming into force

23rd July 2004

Whereas a draft of this Order has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament:

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 75(3)(a) and (d) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998(1), hereby makes the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2004 and shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

2.—(1) The following bodies (being bodies listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967(2)) are hereby designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

(2) Those bodies are–

(a) Electoral Commission;

(b) The Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission; and

(c) The Office of Communications.

3.—(1) The following persons are hereby designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

(2) Those persons are–

(a) Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company;

(b) The social fund Commissioner; and

(c) Ilex Urban Regeneration Company Limited.

John Spellar

Minister of State

Northern Ireland Office

22nd July 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order designates bodies for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The effect is to make the bodies listed in Article 2(2) and 3(2) of the Order “public authorities” for the purposes of that section. Such a public authority is subject to the statutory duties, set out in section 75(1) and (2), to have regard in carrying out its functions relating to Northern Ireland–

• to the need to promote equality of opportunity; and

• to the desirability of promoting good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

(1)

1998 c. 47.

(2)

1967 c. 13.