Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006

Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006[1]
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to make provision for preparations for the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland in accordance with the St Andrews Agreement; to make provision as to the consequences of compliance, or non-compliance, with the St Andrews Agreement timetable; to amend the Northern Ireland Act 1998; to make provision about district policing partnerships; to amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Orders 1997 and 2006; and for connected purposes.
Citation2006 c. 53
Introduced byPeter Hain MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Commons)
Lord Rooker (Lords)
Territorial extent England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, except for sections 20 and 21 and Schedules 8 and 9, which extend only to Northern Ireland.[2]
Dates
Royal assent22 November 2006
Other legislation
Amends
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006[1] (c. 53) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It implemented the St Andrews Agreement. It is modified by section 1 of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007.

Provisions

Section in the act Section in the agreement Provision
Section 1 The Transitional Assembly The 2006 act required that the Northern Ireland Assembly act meet as a "transitional assembly".[3]
Section 2 Repeal of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 The Northern Ireland Act 2000 was repealed by the 2006 act.[4]
Section 3 Next Northern Ireland Assembly election The 2006 act required that the next Northern Ireland Assembly election happen on 11 March 2007, with an executive due to be formed by 26 March 2007.[5][6]
Section 4 Remuneration of members The 2006 act enabled the scrapping of salaries of members of the assembly.[7]
Section 5 A statutory ministerial Code The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to include a statutory ministerial code.[8] This makes the Northern Ireland Executive the first, and as of 2021 only, government in the United Kingdom to have a statutory ministerial code.[8]
Section 6 Assembly referrals for Executive review The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to allow that if 30 or more MLAs are unhappy with a ministerial decision, they can refer it back to the executive for review.[9]
Section 7 Amendments to the Pledge of Office The 2006 act amended the Pledge of Office to include an endorsement of the police and courts.[10][11]
Section 8 Appointment of Ministers in the Executive The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to require that the First Minister will normally come from the largest party within the largest designation.[12] Unlike the text of the agreement, the act requires that the largest party chooses the First Minister no matter the size of their designation.[12]
Section 9 Department with policing and justice functions The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to establish a department of the Northern Ireland Executive with responsibility for policing and justice.[13] This was not actually implemented, until the Northern Ireland Act 2009.
Section 10 Committee of the Centre The 2006 act put the Committee of the Centre, which oversaw the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on a statutory basis.[14]
Section 11 Reviews The 2006 act put established the Assembly and Executive Review committee.[15]
Section 12 Attendance at NSMC and BIC The 2006 act allows for ministers and junior ministers in the Executive to be able to attend the NSMC and BIC if an issue within the portfolio is within their portfolio.[16]
Section 13 Community designation The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to require that MLAs can only change their community designation if they change their political party affiliation.[17]
Section 14 Power of Executive Committee to call for witnesses and documents The 2006 act allows for the Executive Committee (the Executive) to call for witnesses and documents, like other committees of the Assembly, but with certain modifications.[18]
Section 15 Irish language and Ulster Scots language strategies The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to require the executive to publish a strategy relating to the Irish Language, and a strategy relating to the Ulster Scots Language.[19]
Section 16 Anti-poverty strategy The 2006 act amended the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to require the executive to publish an anti-poverty strategy.[20]
Section 17 Vacancy in the Assembly The 2006 act allowed for political parties to exercise the votes of members elected under them, who had become deceased.[21]
Section 18 Report on progress towards devolution of policing and justice matters The 2006 act required the Assembly to submit a report to the Secretary of State by 27 March 2008.[22] The report was completed by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee and published on 11 March 2008.[23] It said that there had been little progress on the devolution of policing and justice matters.[23]
Section 19 Minor and consequential amendments
Section 20 District policing partnerships District policing partnerships, which had been set up by the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, were reconstituted.[24]
Section 21 Amendment of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 was amended to delay its implementation prohibiting academic selection until after the executive was restored.[25][26]
Section 22 Repeal of the Northern Ireland Act 2006 The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 repealed the Northern Ireland Act 2006 in its entirety.[18]
Section 23 Delegated legislation
Section 24 Parliamentary procedure
Section 25 Interpretation
Section 26 Extent
Section 27 Commencement

Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007

Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007[27]
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to modify the effect of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006.
Citation2007 c. 4
Dates
Royal assent27 March 2007
Commencement27 March 2007[28]
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007 (c. 4) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act extended the statutory deadline for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly to 8 May 2007.[29][30][31]

During the passage of the 2007 act, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Peter Hain praised Ian Paisley's "courage and leadership" for engaging with Gerry Adams.[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b The citation of this act by this short title is authorised by section 28 of this act.
  2. ^ The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, section 26
  3. ^ Gordon, Gareth (22 November 2006). "'The Boss' brings NI rivals closer". BBC News. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  4. ^ Sergeant, Jess (31 July 2019). "Direct rule in Northern Ireland". Institute for Government. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Leaders returned in assembly poll". BBC News. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  6. ^ McAdam, Noel (6 December 2006). "Hain acts to avoid Assembly deadlock". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  7. ^ Reynolds, Pauline; Alan, Murray (8 January 2006). "Anger at Hain's threat to axe MLA's £32k salaries". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b Durrant, Tim; Pannell, Jack; Hodson, Catherine (2021). "Updating the ministerial code" (PDF). Institute for Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Impact of St Andrews on the Assembly and Executive | Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service". education.niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  10. ^ "First glitch on the NI political road?". BBC News. 17 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  11. ^ Devenport, Mark (11 November 2006). "Yeah but no but... what next?". BBC News. Retrieved 25 May 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ^ a b FactCheckNI (1 June 2021). "The process of nominating the First and deputy First Ministers". FactCheckNI. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Devolution: Who stands where on key issues". BBC News. 24 November 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly". Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  15. ^ McCarthy, James Martin (6 February 2024). "Meet the MLAs appointed to chair Stormont's Committees". Belfast Live. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  16. ^ "House of Commons - Explanatory Note". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Voting and community designation" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. 28 September 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b Gay, Oonagh (17 November 2006). "The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill 2006-7" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  19. ^ "TheJournal.ie: Did the DUP really never commit to an Irish Language Act?". FactCheckNI. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  20. ^ "Long term plan needed to tackle child poverty - minister". BBC News. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  21. ^ Devenport, Mark (14 February 2007). "Many seats raise many eyebrows". BBC News. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Report on the Devolution of Policing and Justice" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  23. ^ a b "No agreement on powers transfer". BBC News. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  24. ^ "RUC Reform: What the Act says". BBC News. 23 November 2000. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  25. ^ "Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill". BBC News. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Day 1: Selection ... have your say!". Belfast Telegraph. 20 February 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  27. ^ The citation of this Act by this short title is authorised by section 2 of this Act.
  28. ^ The Interpretation Act 1978, section 4(b)
  29. ^ *The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007, as amended.
  30. ^ "Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition. Current Statutes Service. vol 31. p 75 et seq.
  31. ^ "Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2007". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2007. Chapter 4. p 4-1 et seq.
  32. ^ "NI bill rushed through Parliament". BBC News. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.