Office of Communications (Northern Ireland) Bill - Division

A

B I L L

T O

Empower the Northern Ireland Executive to appoint a member of the Office of Communications and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1 Amendment

The Office of Communications Act 2002 is amended as follows—

(a) Adding a new paragraph (ac) to subsection 1(3) as follows:

“(ac) a member appointed by the Northern Ireland Executive.”

(b) Adding a new subsection (3C) to section 1 as follows:

“(3C) Before appointing a member under subsection (3)(ac) the Northern Ireland Executive must consult the Secretary of State.”

(c) Adding a new subsection (13) to section 1 as follows:

“(13) Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Schedule apply in relation to the appointment made under subsection (3)(ab) as if—

(a) any reference to the Secretary of State were to the Northern Ireland Executive; and

(b) after the paragraph 2(8) treated as inserted by subsection (12) there were inserted—

“(9) Before the Northern Ireland Executive removes a person from office they must consult the Secretary of State.”

2 Application of section 1(2) of the Office of Communications Act 2002

(1) For the period between the day that this Act comes into force and the day that the conditions in subsections (2) and (3) are met, section 1(2) of the Office of Communications Act 2002 shall be applied as if in the section the word “twelve” was substituted with the word “thirteen”.

(2) The first condition is that a member of Ofcom leaves office by resignation, removal, death, or otherwise.

(3) The second condition is that the person leaving office was not appointed under subsection 1(3)(aa), 1(3)(ab), or 1(3)(ac) of the Office of Communications Act 2002.

3 Extent, commencement, and short title

(1) The amendments, repeals, and revocations made by this Act have the same extent as the enactments to which they relate.

(2) This Act comes into force upon receiving Royal Assent.

(3) This Act may be cited as the Office of Communications (Northern Ireland) Act 2021.

This bill was written by the Rt Hon. Dame /u/lily-irl MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government. It is introduced following consultation with the Northern Ireland Executive.

Principal Act: the Office of Communications Act 2002.

No amendments were submitted so this bill proceeds directly to a final division.

Vote below by 7th July 2021.