The Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2003
Under section 2(1) of the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (“the 1997 Act”) a decommissioning scheme must identify a period during which firearms, ammunition and explosives may be dealt with in accordance with the scheme (“the amnesty period”). The 1997 Act was amended by the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning (Amendment) Act 2002 (“the 2002 Act”). Prior to amendment by the 2002 Act section 2(3) of the 1997 Act stated that the day appointed by an Order under section 2(2)(b) could be no more than twelve months after the date on which the Order was made and no more than five years after the day on which the 1997 Act was passed. The effect of the 2002 Act was to amend section 2(3) of the 1997 Act to the effect that the day appointed by an Order under section 2(2)(b) must be no more than twelve months after the date on which the Order was made and no later than 27th February 2007. The 2002 Act also amended section 2(2) to the effect that the amnesty period must end before 27th February 2003 or such later date as the Secretary of State may from time to time appoint. Accordingly an order under section 2(2)(b) of the 1997 Act was not necessary from the time the amendments took effect until 27th February 2003.