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2.—(1) The [1954 c. 33 (N.I.).] Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
(2) In this Order—
“department” means a Northern Ireland department;
“Minister”, in relation to a department, means—
in the case of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly;
in the case of any other department, the Minister in charge of that department;
“statutory provision” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1(f) of the [1954 c. 33 (N.I.).] Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954.
(3) References in this Order to a senior officer of a department are references to a person who is employed in that department and is—
(a)a member of the Northern Ireland senior civil service; or
(b)a member of the Northern Ireland civil service designated by the department as a senior officer for the purposes of this Order.
(4) If, and to the extent that, a determination under section 19 of the [1998 c. 47.] Northern Ireland Act 1998 so provides, the functions exercisable under this Order by a senior officer of a department shall also be exercisable by a junior Minister; but nothing in this Order authorises ajunior Minister to exercise functions otherwise than in accordance with the terms of such a determination.