Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is amended as follows.

In section 16A (appointment of Ministers following Assembly election), in subsection (3), for the words before paragraph (a) substitute “Before the end of the period for filling Ministerial offices—”.

After subsection (3) of that section insert—

In section 16B, for subsection (3) substitute—

In consequence of the amendments made by this section, in the Northern Ireland (Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan) Act 2016, omit section 6 and Schedule 1.

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is amended as follows.

In section 16A—

In section 18—

In section 98, in subsection (1), at the appropriate place insert—.

In Schedule 4A (Minister of Justice), in paragraph 3D—

Section 32 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (extraordinary elections) is amended as follows.

In subsection (1) (Secretary of State’s duty to trigger election if Assembly resolves to dissolve itself), after “shall” insert “, as soon as practicable,”.

After subsection (1) insert—

In subsection (3) (Secretary of State’s duty to trigger election if Ministerial offices not filled), in the words after paragraph (b), after “shall” insert “, as soon as practicable,”.

After subsection (3) insert—

In subsection (4), for “or (3)” substitute “, (3) or (3B)”.

The amendments made by sections 1(2), (3) and (5) and 2(2) do not apply in a case where section 16A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 applies as the result of an Assembly being elected before this Act comes into force.

The new provisions relating to vacancies in the office of First Minister or deputy First Minister—

For these purposes “the new provisions relating to vacancies in the office of First Minister or deputy First Minister” means—

The amendments made by section 3 do not apply where the duty of the Secretary of State under section 32(1) or (3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 arises before this Act comes into force.

In Part 2 of Schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (code of conduct), for paragraph 1 substitute—

In relation to a person holding office as a Minister or junior Minister immediately before the amendments made by this section come into force, the reference in that person’s pledge of office to complying with the Ministerial Code of Conduct is to be taken to include a pledge to comply with the amended Ministerial Code of Conduct from the time when those amendments come into force.

In subsection (2)—