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Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 76(4) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32), for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Draft Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2004 No.

POLICE

Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Renewal of Temporary Provisions) Order 2004

Made

2004

Coming into operation

29th March 2004

Whereas the Secretary of State has had regard to the progress that has been made towards securing that membership of the police and the police support staff is representative of the community in Northern Ireland in accordance with section 47(4)(a) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000(1);

And whereas the Secretary of State has consulted the Northern Ireland Policing Board about this Order in accordance with section 47(4)(b) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, without the Northern Ireland Policing Board making any recommendations to him;

And whereas a draft of this Order has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament;

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 47(3) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, hereby makes the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Renewal of Temporary Provisions) Order 2004 and shall come into force on 29th March 2004.

2.  The “temporary provisions” of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, as defined in section 47(1) of that Act, which are in force on 29th March 2004 shall continue in force for the period beginning 30th March 2004 and ending 28th March 2007.

One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State

Northern Ireland Office

2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under section 47(1) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (“the 2000 Act”), the following provisions are “the temporary provisions”:

(a)Article 40A of the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/869 (N.I. 6));

(b)Article 71A of the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/3162 (N.I. 21));

(c)section 44(5) to (7) of the 2000 Act;

(d)section 45 of the 2000 Act;

(e)section 46 of the 2000 Act.

In the case of police trainees and police support staff the temporary provisions require the Chief Constable to appoint from a pool of qualified candidates, an even number of candidates one half of whom are to be persons treated as Roman Catholic and one half persons not so treated (“50:50 recruitment”). The temporary provisions also allow the Chief Constable and the Board to make appointments of police officers from suitably qualified external candidates.

Under section 47(2) of the 2000 Act the temporary provisions expire on the third anniversary of the commencement date of section 47. Section 47 was commenced on 30th March 2001 by the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2001 (S.R. 2001/132). This Order continues in force the temporary provisions for a period of three years from the coming into operation of this Order.