Commentary on Sections Part 10 - Miscellaneous Section 199 - Annual report on Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998
787.The Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 (“the 1998 Act”) was passed following emergency parliamentary procedure in the wake of the Omagh bombing in August 1998.
788.There were 2 main parts in the 1998 Act. Sections 1 to 4 made provision about procedure and forfeiture in relation to offences concerning proscribed organisations. Sections 5 to 7 concern conspiracy to commit offences outside the United Kingdom.
789.Section 8 requires that a statutory report on the working of the Act be laid before both Houses of Parliament on an annual basis. Although the section is drafted in such a way so as it applies generally to the working of the Act as a whole, it is understood that the requirement was directed principally at the terrorism provisions in sections 1 to 4, which have now been repealed.
790.Section 8 is now considered redundant. It has been repealed for England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. This section repeals section 8 of the 1998 Act as it applies to Scotland. The effect is that the section will be repealed UK wide.