The Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 1988

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order re-enacts with amendments the Statistics of Trade Act (Northern Ireland) 1949. The principal amendments are—

(a) to require returns and estimates to be furnished in respect of undertakings which provide employment;

(b) to replace the requirement for Departments to consult a Trade Statistics Consultative Committee before requiring returns or estimates to be furnished with a requirement to consult a new committee appointed under the order;

(c) to revise certain offences relating to the unauthorised disclosure of information and to remove the requirement for officers of Government Departments to make declarations against unauthorised disclosure;

(d) to increase fines;

(e) to authorise the disclosure of information obtained under the Order to public bodies, to consultants employed by Government departments or public bodies and to certain computer personnel and to penalise the misuse of such information by a person to whom it is disclosed;

(f) to revise the list of matters about which persons may be required to give information.

(g) to omit the requirement for a report on each census of production to be laid before the Assembly.