Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972

6 (1) Subject to any provision of this Act or of any Order in Council under section 1(3) of this Act,—

(a) anything required or authorised by or under any enactment or instrument to be done to or in relation to the Governor or any minister of Northern Ireland in connection with any functions exercisable by virtue of section 1(1) of this Act by the Secretary of State shall, so long as section 1 of this Act has effect, be done instead to or in relation to the Secretary of State or any person for the time being appointed by him to discharge the relevant functions; and

(b) any enactment or instrument shall have effect, so far as may be necessary for or in consequence of the exercise of any functions by the Secretary of State by virtue of section 1(1) of this Act, as if references to the Governor of Northern Ireland or to the Governor in Council, or to the Government or any minister of Northern Ireland (including any reference which is to be construed as such a reference) were references to the Secretary of State or any person appointed by him to discharge the relevant functions.

(2) This Act shall not invalidate anything done before it comes into force; and, subject as aforesaid,—

(a) anything which is then in process of being done by or in relation to the Governor or by or in relation to any minister of Northern Ireland may be continued by or in relation to the Secretary of State or any person appointed by him to discharge the relevant functions; and

(b) any order, regulation, rule, direction, authority, appointment, authentication, approval or other instrument or act effective at the coming into force of this Act as that of the Governor in Council or Governor or any minister of Northern Ireland (other than any appointment as parliamentary secretary in a department of the Government of Northern Ireland) shall continue to have effect as that of the Secretary of State.