Background and Policy Objectives
3.The three deregulatory measures contained in the Act were first proposed for inclusion in the composite Deregulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (“the 1997 Order”). They were withdrawn in March 1997, when the Parliamentary process for the allied Deregulation (Weights and Measures) Order 1998 (scheduled to be made by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (“the 1994 Act”)) was interrupted by the dissolution of Parliament prior to the General Election of 1 May 1997.
4.The three measures were later proposed for inclusion in a second composite draft Deregulation (Northern Ireland) Order in October 1997. It did not prove possible, however, to process this draft Order in accordance with normal procedures and bring it into effect before February 1999 (the then estimated date for devolution of power to the new Northern Ireland Assembly). It was agreed therefore in August 1998 that these three deregulatory measures and the others contained in the draft Order should be deferred for consideration by the Assembly.
5.The principal policy objective of the Act is to replicate for Northern Ireland those three deregulatory measures contained in the Deregulation (Weights and Measures) Order 1999, which was made by the DTI under the 1994 Act on 1 March 1999. Parity will thus be maintained between the legislative provisions on weights and measures here and those in Great Britain (GB), with Northern Ireland continuing to remain on all fours with the rest of the UK.