The Still-Birth (Definition) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Made4th June 1992

Laid before Parliament22nd June 1992

Coming into operation1st October 1992

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 4th day of June 1992

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

Whereas this Order is made only for purposes corresponding to those of sections 1 and 2 of the Still-Birth (Definition) Act 19921:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 19742 (as modified by section 3 of the said Act of 1992) and of all other powers enabling Her in that behalf, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:—

Title and commencement1

This Order may be cited as the Still-Birth (Definition) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 and shall come into operation on 1st October 1992.

Interpretation2

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 19543 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Meaning of “still-birth”3

In Article 2(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 19764 (interpretation), in the definition of “still-birth”, for the words “twenty-eighth week” there shall be substitute the words “twenty-fourth week”.

Meaning of “confinement” for certain social security purposes4

In the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 19925—

a

in section 35(6) (definition of “confinement” for the purpose of maternity allowance), and

b

in section 167(1) (interpretation of Part XII-statutory maternity pay), in the definition of “confinement”,

for the words “28 weeks” there shall be substituted the words “24 weeks”.

G. I. de DeneyClerk of the Privy Council

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which is made only for purposes corresponding to the purposes of sections 1 and 2 of the Still-Birth (Definition) Act 1992, amends the law in respect of the definition of still-birth.

Article 3 amends the definition of “still-birth” in Article 2(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 by reducing the number of weeks' pregnancy after which a child born dead is to be regarded as still-born from twenty-eight weeks to twenty-four weeks.

Article 4 amends definitions of “confinement” in the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 by reducing the period of pregnancy after which labour is treated as “confinement”, where a child is born dead, from twenty-eight weeks to twenty-four weeks.