2020 No. 113

Human Rights

The Attorney General’s Human Rights Guidance (The Application of Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to Victims of Serious Sexual Offences and those to whom they make Disclosures) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

Coming into operation

The Attorney General:

a

has, in pursuance of section 8(1) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 20041, issued guidance on international human rights standards relevant to the application of section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to victims of serious sexual offences and those to whom they make disclosures, in respect of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland;

b

has, in accordance with section 8(3)(a) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004, published that guidance on his website;

c

has, in accordance with section 8(3)(b) of that Act, laid that guidance before the Assembly2;

d

has, in accordance with section 8(1A) and section 8(5A) of that Act, consulted the Advocate General for Northern Ireland3.

The Attorney General, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 8(3)(c) of that Act, makes the following order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation1

1

This Order may be cited as the Attorney General’s Human Rights Guidance (The Application of Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to Victims of Serious Sexual Offences and those to whom they make Disclosures) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation on 29th June 2020.

2

The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to this Order as it applies to an Act of the Assembly4.

Revocation2

The Attorney General’s Human Rights Guidance (The Application of Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to Rape Victims and Those to Whom They Make Disclosures in Connection With a Claim for Social Security, Child Tax Credit or Anonymous Registration in the Electoral Roll) Order (Northern Ireland) 20185 is revoked.

Coming into operation of the guidance3

The guidance on international human rights standards relevant to the application of section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to victims of serious sexual offences and those to whom they make disclosures, in respect of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, shall come into operation on the day on which this Order comes into operation.

John F. Larkin QCAttorney General for Northern Ireland
EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into operation guidance by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland, pursuant to section 8 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004 on international human rights standards relevant to the application of section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to victims of serious sexual offences and those to whom they make disclosures, which was laid before the Assembly on 19th June 2020. It also revokes The Attorney General’s Human Rights Guidance (The Application of Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 to Rape Victims and Those to Whom They Make Disclosures in Connection With a Claim for Social Security, Child Tax Credit or Anonymous Registration in the Electoral Roll) Order (Northern Ireland) 2018.