Interpretation2.

(1)

The M1 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—

    1. (a)

      in the case of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly;

    2. (b)

      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 M2 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 M3 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.