Commentary on Sections Miscellaneous and supplementary Section 324: Northern Ireland
1308.This section provides that an Order in Council made for Northern Ireland under paragraph 1(1) of the Schedule of the Northern Ireland Act 2000, which states that it is made only for purposes corresponding to those contained in the Act, is not to be subject to the affirmative procedure of Parliamentary scrutiny, but is instead to be subject to the negative procedure. It is anticipated that such an Order in Council will include provision corresponding with that in section 161 of, and Schedule 6 to, this Act (which are concerned with the transfer of the property, rights and liabilities of certain pension schemes to the Board of the Pension Protection Fund). In that event, subsection (2) confers power on the Secretary of State to make regulations so that provision in the Order of Council for such a transfer in Northern Ireland is recognised in Great Britain. Some pension schemes in Northern Ireland have assets in Great Britain, and provision will be required to ensure that transfers under the Northern Ireland provisions can be enforced as necessary in relation to the schemes’ property in Great Britain.