The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010

18.  After rule 73 insert—

“National security

73A.— (1) The Secretary of State may if he considers it necessary in the interests of national security—

(a) exercise any power of the Department of Justice under rule 67(1), (2) or (5) to (9), 68(8) or 68A(1) or (2) above;

(b) by direction provide for anything done by the Department of Justice in the exercise of any of those powers to cease to have effect to the extent set out in the direction.

(2) In relation to—

(a) any intercepted material which is intercepted under a direction of the Secretary of State or which is otherwise information held by the governor as an officer of the Secretary of State in accordance with arrangements made under section 1A(7) of the Act, or

(b) any information retained pursuant to rule 68B above in relation to any intercepted material within sub-paragraph (a),

rule 68C above has effect as if for the words “an officer of a prison or of the Department of Justice” there were substituted “an officer of the Secretary of State (including a person treated as such an officer under arrangements made under section 1A(7) of the Act)”.”