PART IXN.I.THE CERTIFICATION OFFICER AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE RIGHTS OF TRADE UNION MEMBERS

The Certification Officer for Northern IrelandN.I.

The Certification Officer for Northern IrelandN.I.

69.—(1) The Department shall F1. . . appoint an officer to be known as the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland (in this Order referred to as “the Certification Officer”).

[F2(1A) The Department shall consult the Agency about the arrangements for making an appointment under paragraph (1).]

(2) The Certification Officer shall not be regarded as a servant or agent of the Crown or as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown.

(3) The Agency shall—

(a)provide for the Certification Officer the requisite staff (from among the Agency's officers and servants) and the requisite accommodation, equipment and other facilities; and

(b)pay to the Certification Officer such remuneration and travelling and other allowances as may be determined by the Department with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel.

(4) The Department may pay, or make provision for paying, to, or in respect of, the Certification Officer such pension, allowance or gratuity on his death or retirement as the Department may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, determine.

(5) The Agency shall pay to the Certification Officer such sums as he may require[F3 for the performance of any of his functions].

(6) Where a person ceases to be the Certification Officer otherwise than on the expiry of his term of office, and it appears to the Department that there are special circumstances which make it right for him to receive compensation, the Department may make him a payment of such amount as the Department may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, determine.

(7) The Certification Officer shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year, make a report of his activities during that year to the Agency and the Department and the Department shall lay before the Assembly a copy of every report received by it under this paragraph.

[F4(8)  The Certification Officer—

(a) may appoint one or more assistant certification officers; and

(b) may delegate to an assistant certification officer such functions as he thinks appropriate;

and references to the Certification Officer in any statutory provision relating to his functions shall be construed accordingly.]

(9) The Certification Officer shall take custody of all annual returns, accounts, copies of rules and other documents submitted, for the purposes of the Trade Union Acts (Northern Ireland) 1871 to 1965, to the officer appointed to perform in Northern Ireland the functions of registrar of friendly societies and which are, immediately before the appointed day, in the custody of that officer.

(10) The Certification Officer shall keep available for public inspection (either free of charge or on payment of a reasonable charge) at all reasonable hours such of the documents referred to in paragraph (9) as are, or were, available for public inspection in pursuance of any of the Acts referred to in that paragraph.

(11) In the Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975F5 in Part III of Schedule 1 (other disqualifying offices), there shall be inserted (at the appropriate place) the following entry—

“Certification Officer for Northern Ireland.” .