Search Legislation

Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally enacted).

Consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee

149Functions of Social Security Advisory Committee in relation to legislation and regulations

(1)The Department may from time to time refer to the Social Security Advisory Committee for consideration and advice such questions relating to the operation of any of the relevant enactments as the Department thinks fit (including questions as to the advisability of amending any of them).

(2)Subject—

(a)to subsection (3) below; and

(b)to section 150 below,

where the Department proposes to make regulations under any of the relevant enactments, it shall refer the proposals, in the form of draft regulations or otherwise, to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

(3)Subsection (2) above does not apply to the regulations specified in Schedule 5 to this Act.

(4)The Department shall furnish the Social Security Advisory Committee with such information as the Committee may reasonably require for the proper discharge of its functions.

(5)In this section “the relevant enactments” means—

(a)the provisions of the Contributions and Benefits Act and this Act, except as they apply to industrial injuries benefit and Old Cases payments; and

(b)the provisions of Part II of Schedule 3 to the Consequential Provisions Act, except as they apply to industrial injuries benefit; and

(c)Article 52A(10), Part VA and Articles 691 and 70ZA of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Orders 1975.

150Cases in which consultation with Committee is not required

(1)Nothing in any statutory provision shall require any proposals in respect of regulations to be referred to the Committee if—

(a)it appears to the Department that by reason of the urgency of the matter it is inexpedient so to refer them; or

(b)the Committee has agreed that they shall not be referred.

(2)Where by virtue only of subsection (1)(a) above the Department makes regulations without proposals in respect of them having been referred, then, unless the Committee agrees that this subsection shall not apply, the Department shall refer the regulations as soon as practicable after making them.

(3)Where the Department has referred proposals to the Committee, the Department may make the proposed regulations before the Committee has made its report only if after the reference it appears to the Department that by reason of the urgency of the matter it is expedient to do so.

(4)Where by virtue of this section regulations are made before a report of the Committee has been made, the Committee shall consider them and make a report to the Department containing such recommendations with regard to the regulations as the Committee thinks appropriate; and a copy of any report made to the Department on the regulations shall be laid by it before the Assembly together, if the report contains recommendations, with a statement—

(a)of the extent (if any) to which the Department proposes to give effect to the recommendations; and

(b)in so far as it does not propose to give effect to them, of its reasons why not.

(5)Except to the extent that this subsection is excluded by a statutory provision passed or made after 5th November 1986, nothing in any statutory provision shall require the reference to the Committee of any regulations contained in either—

(a)a statutory rule made before the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the coming into operation of the statutory provision under which those regulations are made; or

(b)a statutory rule—

(i)which states that it contains only regulations made by virtue of, or consequential upon, a specified statutory provision; and

(ii)which is made before the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the coming into operation of that specified statutory provision.

(6)In this section and in section 151 below—

  • “the Committee” means the Social Security Advisory Committee;

  • “regulations” means regulations under any statutory provision, whenever passed or made.

151Committee’s report on regulations and Department’s duties

(1)The Committee shall consider any proposals referred to it by the Department under section 149 above and shall make to the Department a report containing such recommendations with regard to the subject-matter of the proposals as the Committee thinks appropriate.

(2)If, after receiving a report of the Committee, the Department lays before the Assembly any regulations which comprise the whole or any part of the subject-matter of the proposals referred to the Committee, the Department shall lay with the regulations a copy of the Committee’s report and a statement showing—

(a)the extent (if any) to which the Department has, in framing the regulations, given effect to the Committee’s recommendations; and

(b)in so far as effect has not been given to them, the Department’s reasons why not.

(3)Section 41(3) of the [1954 c. 33 (N.I.).] Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (procedure for laying documents before the Assembly) shall apply in relation to any document which by virtue of subsection (2) above is required to be laid before the Assembly as if it were a statutory document within the meaning of that Act.

(4)In relation to regulations required or authorised to be made by the Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance and Personnel, any reference in this section or section 150 above to the Department shall be construed as a reference to the Department and the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources