PART 5Final provisions

I160Interpretation

1

In this Act, each expression set out in an entry in the first column of the following table is to be read in accordance with the corresponding entry in the second column—

Expression

Interpretation

Chief Commissioner

The Commissioner appointed under section 2(3)(a).

chief officer

This means—

  • the chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996 (police forces in England and Wales outside London);

  • the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;

  • the Commissioner of Police for the City of London;

  • the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland;

  • the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police;

  • the chief constable of the British Transport Police.

Commissioner for Investigations

The Commissioner appointed under section 2(3)(b).

Commissioners

The members of the ICRIR appointed under section 2(3)(a), (b) and (c).

conduct

This has the meaning given in section 1.

conduct forming part of the Troubles

This has the meaning given in section 1.

connected Troubles-related offence

This has the meaning given in section 1.

event forming part of the Troubles

This has the meaning given in section 1.

excepted matter

This has the meaning given by section 4(1) ofthe Northern Ireland Act 1998.

final report

A report under section 15 on the findings of a review of a death or a review of other harmful conduct forming part of the Troubles.

financial year

This has the meaning given in section 2(14).

GCHQ

This has the same meaning as in the Intelligence Services Act 1994.

His Majesty’s forces

This has the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006 (see section 374 of that Act).

historical record

This has the meaning given in section 2(5)(f).

the ICRIR

The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

ICRIR contractor

A person providing, or being employed in the provision of, goods or services for the purposes of the ICRIR.

ICRIR officers

This has the meaning given in section 3(4).

immunity function

The function of determining whether to grant persons immunity from prosecution conferred by section 2(5)(d).

immunity requests panel

The panel formed in accordance with section 22.

inspector of constabulary for Northern Ireland

An inspector of constabulary for NorthernIreland (appointed under section 41 of thePolice (Northern Ireland) Act 1998).

legislation

Primary legislation and subordinate legislation.

national authority

This means has the meaning given in section 58(3)

Northern Ireland affairs

This has the meaning given in section 1.

other harmful conduct forming part of the Troubles

This has the meaning given in section 1.

period of operation of the ICRIR

The period beginning with the day on which section 2(5) comes into force.

police force in Great Britain

This means—

  • a police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996 (police forces in England and Wales outside London);

  • the metropolitan police force;

  • the City of London police force;

  • the Police Service of Scotland;

  • the Ministry of Defence Police;

  • the British Transport Police.

prejudicial information

Information which, if disclosed generally, would risk putting, or would put, the life or safety of any person at risk.

primary legislation

This means—

  • Northern Ireland legislation (which has the meaning given in section 24(5) of the Interpretation Act 1978);

  • an Act of Parliament;

  • an Act of the Scottish Parliament;

  • a Measure or Act of Senedd Cymru.

protected international information

Information which—

  1. a

    was supplied to any person by, or by an agency of, the government of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, and

  2. b

    if disclosed generally might, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, damage international relations.

PSNI

The Police Service of Northern Ireland.

relevant authority

This means—

  • the Chief Constable of the PSNI;

  • the chief officer of a police force in Great Britain;

  • the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland;

  • the Director General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct;

  • the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner;

  • any Minister of the Crown (which has the same meaning as in the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975 — see section 8 of that Act);

  • the Security Service;

  • the Secret Intelligence Service;

  • GCHQ;

  • any other department of the United Kingdom government (including a non-ministerial department);

  • a Northern Ireland department;

  • the Scottish Ministers;

  • any of His Majesty’s forces.

request for a review

A request for a review under section 9 or 10.

reserved matter

This has the meaning given by section 4(1) ofthe Northern Ireland Act 1998.

reserved provision

Provision which (if contained in a Bill for an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly) would result in the Bill requiring the consent of the Secretary of State under section 8(b) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

review function

The function of carrying out reviews conferred by section 2(5)(a) and (b).

sensitive information

This means information of the following kinds.

Information which, if disclosed generally, would risk prejudicing, or would prejudice, the national security interests of the United Kingdom.

Information which has been supplied (whether to the person currently holding the information or to some other person) by—

  1. a

    the Security Service,

  2. b

    the Secret Intelligence Service,

  3. c

    GCHQ, or

  4. d

    any part of the following bodies which engages in intelligence activities—

    1. i

      His Majesty’s forces;

    2. ii

      the Ministry of Defence;

    3. iii

      the PSNI;

    4. iv

      a police force in Great Britain.

serious physical or mental harm

This has the meaning given in section 1.

serious Troubles-related offence

This has the meaning given in section 1.

subject to affirmative procedure

This has the meaning given in section 59(3).

subject to negative procedure

This has the meaning given in section 59(4).

subordinate legislation

An instrument made under primary legislation

transferred matter

This has the meaning given by section 4(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

transferred provision

This means provision which—

  1. a

    would be within the legislative competence of the Assembly if it were contained in an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and

  2. b

    would deal with a transferred matter without being ancillary to other provision (whether in the Act or previously enacted) which deals with an excepted matter or reserved matter.

Here—

  1. i

    ancillary” has the meaning given insection 6(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998;

  2. ii

    a reference to provision dealingwith a matter is to be read in accordance withsection 98(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

the Troubles

This has the meaning given in section 1.

Troubles-related offence

This has the meaning given in section 1.

2

A reference in this Act to the day on which a provision of this Act comes into force is, in a case where that provision comes into force at different times for different purposes, a reference to the day on which that provision comes into force for all purposes.