Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002

51 Duties of Commission

(1) The Commission must keep under review the law of Northern Ireland with a view to its systematic development and reform, including in particular by—

(a) codification,

(b) the elimination of anomalies,

(c) the repeal of legislation which is no longer of practical utility, and

(d) the reduction of the number of separate legislative provisions,

and generally by simplifying and modernising it.

(2) For that purpose the Commission must—

(a) consider any proposals for the reform of the law of Northern Ireland made or referred to it,

(b) prepare and submit to the Secretary of State (from time to time) programmes for the examination of different branches of that law with a view to reform, including recommendations as to the agency (whether itself or another body) by which any such examination should be carried out,

(c) undertake, pursuant to any such recommendations approved by the Secretary of State, the examination of particular branches of that law and the formulation (by means of draft legislation or otherwise) of proposals for reform of those branches,

(d) prepare (from time to time) at the request of the Secretary of State comprehensive programmes of consolidation and repeal of legislation, and undertake the preparation of draft legislation pursuant to any such programme approved by the Secretary of State,

(e) provide advice and information to government departments and, with the consent of the Secretary of State, to Northern Ireland departments and other authorities or bodies concerned with proposals for the reform or amendment of any branch of the law of Northern Ireland, and

(f) obtain such information as to the legal systems of other countries as appears to the Commission likely to facilitate the performance of its other duties.

(3) Before approving any programme prepared by the Commission, the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the Lord Chancellor,

(b) the First Minister and deputy First Minister, and

(c) the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.

(4) In performing its duties the Commission must consult—

(a) the Law Commission,

(b) the Scottish Law Commission, and

(c) the Law Reform Commission of the Republic of Ireland.

(5) The Commission must make an annual report on how it has performed its duties.