The Department of Health, Social Services, and Public Safety in Northern Ireland has three main responsibilities: Health and Social Care, Public Health, and Public Safety. Health and Social Care includes policy and legislation related to hospitals, GP services, community health, and personal social services. Public Health covers policy and legislation promoting and protecting the health […]
The Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment is responsible for a range of economic and social policy areas. This includes the regulation of trade unions and societies, consumer affairs matters, aspects of economic policy, energy, the European Support Unit, insolvency service, social economy, statistics and economic research, telecoms, tourism, better regulation, minerals, and petroleum. The […]
Rates are made annually by the Department and District Council. The departmental rate is a regional rate, and the District Council rate is a district rate. A rate is levied as an amount in the pound for reference to the rate of a valuation. A regional rate is made by the Department and is subject to […]
The Rates (Capital Value) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 paved the way for a new domestic rating system based on individual capital values from April 2007. The Commissioner of Valuation was empowered to publish the capital value of every domestic property. Ratepayers were given the opportunity to make inquiries and seek an informal review before the […]
The executive power in Northern Ireland is vested in Her Majesty. In relation to transferred prerogative and other executive matters, they are exercisable on Her Majesty’s behalf by any Minister or Northern Ireland Department. Acts of the Assembly or other enactments may confer functions on Ministers or by Departmental names. The Northern Ireland Civil Service […]
The Northern Ireland Civil Service was established separately from the British Civil Service when the Northern Ireland Parliament was founded. Additionally, UK Civil Service Departments have branches in Northern Ireland that deal with reserved matters excluded from the Northern Ireland Assembly’s jurisdiction. The Civil Service’s structure aligns with various Northern Ireland Departments. For details on […]
Local Government in Northern Ireland has relatively few direct powers. Local authorities are responsible for a range of direct services.Councils receive significant capital aid and grants from the central government. The majority of a District Council’s expenditure, more than half, is related to the maintenance and management of the physical environment. These services include: Planning […]
Holding Elections Elections are to take place in the first Thursday in May in every fourth calendar year following that for which the predecessor was elected. This term was extended to five years by the Northern Ireland Act 2014. The Secretary of State may change the date by order for periods of up to two […]
First and Deputy First Minister Within seven days after the meeting of the Assembly, the offices of the First Minister and deputy First Minister are filled, in accordance with the following provisions. The largest political party of the largest political designation nominated the First Minister under the 1998 Act. The largest political party of the […]
Limits of Power and Directions A Minister may not approve any secondary legislation which is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, EU Community law, discriminates on the ground of religious belief or political opinion, aids or incites another person to discriminate or modifies any protected enactment under the legislation. The Secretary of State […]