Amendment of section 20 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998

1.-(1) Section 20 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Executive Committee) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (4), for paragraph (a) substitute-

"(a)where the agreed programme referred to in paragraph 20 of Strand One of that Agreement has been approved by the Assembly and is in force, any significant or controversial matters that are clearly outside the scope of that programme;

(aa)where no such programme has been approved by the Assembly, any significant or controversial matters;".

(3) In subsection (5), for "subsection (6)" substitute "subsections (6) to (9)".

(4) After subsection (6) insert-

"(7) Decisions may be made by the Department for Infrastructure or the Minister in charge of that Department in the exercise of any function under-

(a)the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (except a function under section 1 of that Act); or

(b)regulations or orders made under that Act,

without recourse to the Executive Committee.

(8) Nothing in subsection (3) requires a Minister to have recourse to the Executive Committee in relation to any matter unless that matter affects the exercise of the statutory responsibilities of one or more other Ministers more than incidentally.

(9) A matter does not affect the exercise of the statutory responsibilities of a Minister more than incidentally only because there is a statutory requirement to consult that Minister.".

Commencement

2.  This Act comes into operation on the day after this Act receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3.  This Act may be cited as the Executive Committee (Functions) Act (NorthernIreland) 2020.