Department of Justice Bill

NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF AMENDMENTS

The amendments listed below, tabled by Mr Alex Attwood , supported by Mrs Delores Kelly and Mr Alban Maginness , which appeared on the Notice of Amendments tabled on 4 November 2009, have been withdrawn

New Clause

After clause 2 insert -

‘Duty of First Minister and deputy First Minister to report on certain matters

2A. The First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly shall make a report orally and in writing to the Assembly within seven days of the commencement of this section—

(a) outlining the functions that the Department of Justice is to exercise;

(b) stating what proposals, if any, the Executive Committee has approved for North South cooperation in areas consisting wholly or mainly of devolved policing and justice functions, including proposals for the establishment of implementation bodies to exercise any such functions;

(c) explaining the arrangements made for the sharing of information relating to national security with the Department of Justice, if any;

(d) explaining the provisions of paragraph 8 of Schedule 1 to the 2009 Act and, in particular, in the event that the Department of Justice is dissolved on 1 May 2012, the consequences of such dissolution for the exercise of the functions that the Department of Justice is to exercise, including such functions as may be conferred on the Department of Justice relating to—

(i) the imprisonment of offenders;
(ii) the compensation of victims of crime;
(iii) the provision of services in relation to forensic science;
(iv) the provision of services to youth justice;
(v) the development of policy in relation to criminal justice; and
(vi) the funding of the criminal justice system.

(e) explaining that paragraph 8 of Schedule 1 to the 2009 Act does not apply if the ministerial office of the minister to be in charge of the Department of Justice is filled under section 18 of the 1998 Act;

(f) explaining that the ministerial office of the minister to be in charge of the Department of Justice will be filled under section 18 of the 1998 Act if the Assembly fails within seven days of the date of the making of the report to approve a resolution endorsing the arrangement under section 2 of this Act for the appointment of the minister to be in charge of the Department of Justice.’

Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Alban Maginness
Mrs Dolores Kelly

New Clause

After clause 2 insert -

‘Consequences of failure to report or endorse arrangement under section 2

2B. If—

(a) the First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly fail to make the report referred to in section 2A within seven days of the commencement of this section, or

(b) the Assembly fails within seven days of the date of the making of that report to approve a resolution endorsing the arrangement under section 2 of this Act for the appointment of the minister to be in charge of the Department of Justice
then section 2 of this Act shall be repealed as of the date of the expiry of that period.’

Mr Alex Attwood
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Alban Maginness

New Clause

After clause 2 insert -

‘Report on national security

2C. Within six months of taking office, the Minister in charge of the Department of Justice shall report orally and in writing to the Assembly on the adequacy of the arrangements made for the sharing of information relating to national security with the Department of Justice.’

Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Alban Maginness
Mrs Dolores Kelly

New Clause

After clause 2 insert -

‘Interpretation

2D. In this Act—

“Belfast Agreement” has the same meaning as in section 98 of the 1998 Act;

“designated day” means—

(a) if the condition in section 2B(a) is not fulfilled, the next day following the day upon which the period referred to in section 2B(a) expires;

(b) if the condition in section 2B(b) is not fulfilled, the next day following the day upon which the period referred to in section 2B(b) expires;

(c) the next day following the day of the approval of the resolution by the Assembly referred to in section 2B(b);

whichever is the earlier.

“Executive Committee” has the same meaning as in section 20 of the 1998 Act;

“implementation body” has the same meaning as in section 55 of the 1998 Act;

“North South cooperation” means such cooperation as is referred to in paragraph 5 of Strand Two of the Belfast Agreement;

“the 1998 Act” means the Northern Ireland Act 1998;

“the 2009 Act” means the Northern Ireland Act 2009.’

Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Alban Maginness
Mrs Dolores Kelly