Commentary on Sections and Schedules Part 1 – National Targets, Strategies and Reports (Sections 1 to 18) Section 13: Advice and consultation: Scotland and Northern Ireland
70.Section 13 makes provision about the role of the Commission in relation to the preparation of Scottish and Northern Ireland strategies. It also requires the devolved administrations to consult particular persons when they are preparing those strategies.
71.Subsection (1) places a duty on the Scottish Ministers and the relevant Northern Ireland department to request the advice of the Commission when preparing a Scottish or Northern Ireland strategy and to specify a date by which the advice must be provided.
72.Subsection (2) requires the Scottish Ministers and the relevant Northern Ireland department to have regard to the Commission’s advice in the development of their strategies.
73.Subsection (3) lists the parties that the devolved administrations must consult in preparing their strategies. The Scottish Ministers must consult such local authorities or associations of local authorities in Scotland as they think fit. Both the Scottish Ministers and the relevant Northern Ireland department are required to consult the Secretary of State and such children and organisations working with or representing children, as they think fit; and such parents, and organisations working with or representing parents, as they think fit. They may also consult other persons.