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Statutory Instruments

1992 No. 1593

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Made

30th June 1992

Coming into force

1st January 1993

Whereas the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is proper, having regard to the law for the time being in force in Northern Ireland,—

(i)to provide that any weighing or measuring equipment of the classes described in article 2 of this Order which has been duly stamped in accordance with that law or which is to be regarded as so stamped for the purposes of that law shall be treated for the purposes of the Weights and Measures Act 1985(1) as if it had been duly stamped in Great Britain under section 11 of that Act; and

(ii)to designate Northern Ireland for the purposes of the provisions of that Act mentioned in article 3 of this Order:

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 11(16) and 94(2) of that Act and all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 and shall come into force on 1st January 1993.

(2) In this Order “the Act” means the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

(3) The Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1988(2) is hereby revoked.

2.  Weighing or measuring equipment of any class prescribed under section 11 of the Act shall be treated for the purposes of the Act as duly stamped in Great Britain under that section if—

(a)it has been duly stamped under the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981(3); or

(b)falls to be treated for the purposes of that Order as if so stamped:

Provided that this article shall not apply in the case of a non-automatic weighing instrument to which the Non-automatic Weighing Instruments (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1992(4) apply and which is first stamped on or after 1st January 2003.

3.  Northern Ireland shall be a designated country for the purposes of sections 7(3), 24(2)(b) and 33(1)(d) of the Act.

Denton of Wakefield

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department of Trade and Industry

30th June 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Weights and Measures Act 1985 ( “the Act”) does not generally extend to Northern Ireland which has its own weights and measures legislation.

A number of the provisions of the Act relating to the regulation of trade and weighing or measuring equipment used for trade do not apply in relation to goods for “despatch to a destination outside Great Britain and any designated country”.

This Order replaces the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1988. The Order—

(a)continues to declare Northern Ireland to be a designated country for the purposes of these provisions and other provisions of the Act which refer to designated countries; and

(b)(except in the case of non-automatic weighing instruments to which the Non-automatic Weighing Instruments (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1992 apply and which are first stamped on or after 1st January 2003) continues to provide that any weighing or measuring equipment which must be stamped by an inspector of weights and measures before it can be used for trade in Great Britain is to be treated as so stamped, if it is to be treated as validly stamped under the laws of Northern Ireland.

(2)

S.I. 1988/558.

(4)

S.I. 1992/1579.