The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75 – Designation of Public Authority) Order 2020

Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 797

Northern Ireland

Equal Opportunities

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75 – Designation of Public Authority) Order 2020

Made

22nd July 2020

Coming into force

23rd July 2020

The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 75(3)(a) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998(1).

In accordance with section 96(2) of that Act, a draft of this Order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75 – Designation of Public Authority) Order 2020 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

Designation of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements

2.  The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (being a body listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967(2) (which lists departments etc. subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration)) is designated for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (which places statutory duties on public authorities).

Alex Chalk

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Ministry of Justice

22nd July 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order designates the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (the “IMA”) for the purposes of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47).

The effect is to make the IMA a “public authority” 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 (a) between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation; (b) between men and women generally; (c) between persons with a disability and persons without; and (d) between persons with dependants and persons without; and

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

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1)

1998 c. 47.

(2)

1967 c. 13. Schedule 2 was amended by paragraph 17 of Schedule 2 to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (c. 1); there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.