Sections 8 to 11: Final provisions
Section 8 (Key definitions) provides definitions for three key terms used throughout the Act, namely “period products”, types of period products, and references to a person’s needs. In line with modern drafting practice for gender neutral drafting, “needs” is defined in terms of menstruation by a woman, girl or other person, ensuring the Bill applies to anyone who menstruates (including transgender and non-binary persons), and not just to women and girls.
Section 9 provides definitions for other terms used in the Act, using existing statutory definitions so far as possible.
“
department ” means a Northern Ireland department.“
the Executive ” means the Executive Committee of the Assembly, established under section 20 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.“
further education premises ” means premises occupied by an institution of further education;“
higher education institution ” means a body described in Article 3(2)(a) of the Higher Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2005;“
higher education premises ” means premises occupied by a higher education institution;“
hospital premises ” means premises occupied by a hospital within the meaning of Article 2(2) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972;“
school ” has the meaning given in Article 2(2) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986;“
school premises ” means premises occupied by a school; “specified public service body ” means a public service body specified in regulations made under section 2;“
statutory provision ” has the meaning given by section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.
Section 10 provides that sections 2(1), (2) and (7) to (16), 8, 9, 10 and 11 come into operation the day after Royal Assent, and that the Executive Office can appoint by regulations dates for commencement of the remaining provisions of the Act, so long as those dates are within 2 years of Royal Assent.
Section 11 sets the short title which is the Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
