§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those Orders in Council requiring an affirmative resolution of the House that have been debated in a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation to date; from what date the current procedures in respect of(a) Orders in Council and (b) consideration in Standing Committees commenced; and which orders he intends to be debated in a Standing Committee in the current Session of Parliament. [18525]
§ Sir John WheelerThe Northern Ireland Act 1974 enables the Government to legislate for Northern Ireland by way of Order in Council. In December 1994, the House agreed that all affirmative statutory instruments would be referred automatically to a Standing Committee, but could be de-referred on a Government motion, with the Government acceding to any reasonable Opposition request for de-referral. This was initially on an experimental basis but was incorporated into Standing Orders at the start of the current Session.
Since then, the following Northern Ireland Orders in Council have been debated in Standing Committee—prior information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost;
225W
Orders in council under the Northern Ireland act 1974 debated in Standing Committee Date of debate in Standing Committee Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 16 February 1995 Fair Employment (Amendment) (NI) Order 22 February 1995 Children's Evidence (NI) Order 28 February 1995 Wildlife (Amendment) (NI) Order 28 February 1995 Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (NI) Order 9 May 1995 Arts Council (NI) Order 7 June 1995 Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (NI) Order 1995 8 June 1995 Trade Union and Labour Relations (NI) Order 1995 4 July 1995 Road Traffic (NI) Order 1995 17 October 1995 Police (Amendment) (NI) Order 1995 18 October 1995 Financial Provisions (NI) Order 1 November 1995 Street Works (NI) Order 1995 28 November 1995
Orders in council under the Northern Ireland act 1974 debated in Standing Committee Date of debate in Standing Committee County Courts (Amendment) NI Order 29 November 1996 Education (NI) Order 7 December 1996 Gas (NI) Order 17 January 1996 Business Tenancies (NI) Order 7 February 1996 Juries (NI) Order 28 February 1996 The question of whether a forthcoming Order in Council should be debated in Standing Committee will be settled when it arises.