Commentary on Sections Miscellaneous Section 43: Accredited community-based restorative justice schemes
99.Section 43 requires the Secretary of State to maintain a public register of schemes in Northern Ireland that appear to him to be community-based restorative justice schemes and to meet requirements determined and published by him. The requirements must include a requirement about cooperation with the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland. The section also provides that the Chief Inspector may inspect the schemes and shall from time to time make a report to the Secretary of State on inspections carried out by him under the section. The Secretary of State must lay the report before Parliament and arrange for it to be published in accordance with section 49(2) to (4) of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. The Secretary of State may remove a scheme from the register if (having considered any report made by the Chief Inspector) he considers that the scheme is not a community-based restorative justice scheme or that it does not meet the requirements.