35. Amend the Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985(1) as follows.
36. In section 3 (Central authorities)—
(a)in subsection (1)(a) omit “and in Northern Ireland”;
(b)after subsection (1)(b) insert—
“; and
(c)in Northern Ireland by the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland”;
(c)for subsection (3) substitute—
“(3) Where any such application relates to a function to be discharged under subsection (1) above by an authority (“the responsible authority”) other than the authority to which the application is addressed, the authority to which the application is addressed shall transmit it to the responsible authority.”
37. In sections 6, 21 and 23 (reports) after “Lord Chancellor” (wherever occurring) insert “, the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland”.
38. In section 14 (Central authorities)—
(a)in subsection (1)(a) omit “and in Northern Ireland”;
(b)after subsection (1)(b) insert—
“; and
(c)in Northern Ireland by the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland”;
(c)for subsection (3) substitute—
“(3) Where any such application relates to a function to be discharged under subsection (1) above by an authority (“the responsible authority”) other than the authority to which the application is addressed, the authority to which the application is addressed shall transmit it to the responsible authority.”
39. In section 16 (registration of decisions) for subsection (5) substitute—
“(5) Where an authority mentioned in subsection (1) of section 14 above is requested to assist in making an application under this section to the appropriate court in a part of the United Kingdom (“the relevant part of the United Kingdom”) other than the part in relation to which the authority has functions under that subsection, the authority shall transmit the request to the authority which has functions under that subsection in relation to the relevant part of the United Kingdom.”