The executive power in Northern Ireland shall continue to be vested in Her Majesty.

As respects transferred matters the Secretary of State shall, as Her Majesty's principal officer in Northern Ireland, exercise on Her Majesty's behalf such prerogative or other executive powers of Her Majesty in relation to Northern Ireland as may be delegated to him by Her Majesty.

The powers so delegated shall be exercised through the members of the Northern Ireland Executive established by this Act and the Northern Ireland departments.

A member of the Northern Ireland Executive who is head of a Northern Ireland department shall, in formulating policy with respect to matters within the responsibilities of that department, consult so far as practicable with the consultative committee established in relation to his department under section 25 below, and where such policy is to be implemented by a proposed Measure he shall consult as aforesaid before the proposed Measure is introduced.

The Ministries of the Government of Northern Ireland existing on the appointed day shall be the Northern Ireland departments for the purposes of this Act (and shall be known as departments instead of Ministries) but provision may be made by Measure for establishing new Northern Ireland departments or dissolving existing ones.

The Secretary of State as Her Majesty's principal officer in Northern Ireland, the members of the Northern Ireland Executive, any other persons appointed under section 8 below and the Northern Ireland departments are in this Act referred to as Northern Ireland executive authorities.