Part 9: Miscellaneous and General Pardons for certain abolished offences etc Sections 168 to 172: Disregards and pardons for certain convictions etc for abolished offences: Northern Ireland
Sections 168 to 172 make provision for Northern Ireland that corresponds with the disregard scheme in the 2012 Act as well as the pardons provisions and the power to extend the disregard scheme in sections 164 to 167. One substantive difference is that a person only qualifies for a disregard or pardon if the other person involved in the conduct consented and was aged 17 or over (rather than, as is the case in England and Wales, aged 16 or over). This difference reflects the fact that, in 2000, the age of consent was equalised at 16 in England and Wales, whereas in Northern Ireland it was equalised at 17.
	In addition, the Northern Ireland scheme is slightly modified compared to the scheme in England and Wales:
	to reflect the relevant offences in Northern Ireland;
	to place the responsibility for determining applications for a disregard on the Department of Justice rather than the Secretary of State.