Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022

Regional rate

11 Power to set the regional rate for 2023/24

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument set the regional rate for the year ending 31 March 2024.

(2) The power in subsection (1) may only be used during the current period in which there is no Executive.

(3) Regulations under subsection (1) must specify the amount in the pound at which the regional rate is to be levied.

(4) Articles 6(3) to (6) and 7(4) and (5) of the Rates Order apply in relation to the setting of a regional rate by regulations under subsection (1) as they apply in relation to the setting of the rate by order under Article 7(1) of the Rates Order (reading references to the Department of Finance as references to the Secretary of State).

(5) A reference in the Rates Order to the regional rate (except in a provision applied by subsection (4)) is to be read as including a reference to the regional rate set by the Secretary of State by regulations under subsection (1).

(6) A rate set under subsection (1) may be varied, after the end of the current period in which there is no Executive, by an order made by the Department of Finance under Article 7(1) of the Rates Order.

(7) An order made by virtue of subsection (6) may set the rate in respect of the whole of the year for which it is made.

(8) A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (1) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons.

(9) In section 43(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954, the definition of “regional rate” is to be treated as including a reference to any rate set by the Secretary of State under subsection (1).

(10) In this section—

• “current period in which there is no Executive” means the period beginning when this Act is passed and ending when an Executive is next formed;

• “the Rates Order” means the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (S.I. 1977/2157 (N.I. 28)).