The Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

PART IITHE NORTHERN IRELAND TOURIST BOARD

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board

3.—(1) There shall continue to be a body called the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (in this Order referred to as “the Board”).

(2) Schedule 1 shall have effect in relation to the Board.

Functions of the Board

4.—(1) The functions of the Board shall be—

(a)to encourage tourism;

(b)to encourage the provision and improvement of tourist accommodation and tourist amenities;

(c)to advise the Department generally on the formulation and implementation of its policy in relation to the development of tourism;

(d)such other functions as are conferred on the Board by or under this Order or any other statutory provision.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), in the exercise of its functions the Board may—

(a)provide advice and information about travelling to and holidays in Northern Ireland and publicise or advertise holidays in Northern Ireland;

(b)provide or assist any event which appears to the Board likely to encourage tourism;

(c)co-operate with persons or bodies training persons to do work wholly or mainly connected with tourism;

(d)establish or assist in establishing any body in connection with tourism;

(e)trade in any business associated with tourism;

(f)accept gifts and donations and undertake and execute any trusts which may lawfully be undertaken by the Board and may be conducive to its functions;

(g)make known the financial assistance which may be provided under this Order;

(h)make charges for services provided by it and for any certificate or approval granted by it for the purposes of any statutory provision other than this Order;

(i)carry out surveys and collect statistics and information relating to the tourist industry;

(j)generally assist in making Northern Ireland attractive to tourists;

(k)co-operate with or assist any other body or association carrying out activities falling within the functions of the Board.

(3) It shall be the duty of the Board to establish machinery for consulting, and to consult regularly with, bodies appearing to the Board to have an interest in matters falling within the functions of the Board.

(4) The power of the Board under section 19(1)(a)(iv) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(1) to acquire, hold, dispose of or charge real property shall not be exercised without the approval of the Department and the Board shall not have power to carry out any building or other physical works on land except with the approval of the Department.

Directions to the Board

5.—(1) The Department may, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Department of Finance and Personnel, issue to the Board—

(a)directions of a general or specific nature as to the exercise by the Board of its functions;

(b)directions as to any matter in relation to which the Department is authorised to issue directions by any other provision of this Order.

(2) The Department may direct the Board to exercise on behalf of the Department any function of the Department connected with or related to the development of tourism, not being a function conferred on the Department by this Order.

(3) Before issuing any directions under this Article the Department shall consult with the Board.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Board to comply with any directions issued to it under this Article.

Estimate of expenditure and income of the Board

6.—(1) The Board shall, on or before such date in each year as the Department may direct, submit to the Department, in such form and containing such particulars as the Department may direct, an estimate of its income and expenditure for the succeeding financial year.

(2) The Board may at any time submit a supplementary or revised estimate to the Department.

(3) The Department may approve an estimate submitted under paragraph (1) or a supplementary or revised estimate submitted under paragraph (2) either in whole or in part or subject to such modifications or conditions as the Department may think fit.

(4) The Board shall not incur expenditure otherwise than in accordance with an estimate or a supplementary or revised estimate approved under paragraph (3).

Financial provisions relating to the Board

7.—(1) The Department may in each financial year pay to the Board grants of such amount as the Department may determine towards the expenditure incurred or to be incurred by the Board in accordance with an estimate or a supplementary or revised estimate approved under Article 6(3).

(2) The Board may, in accordance with directions, establish reserve funds for such general or special purposes as the Board may think proper.

(3) The Board may borrow or raise money on such terms and on such security and for such purposes as the Department may direct.

(4) The Board may invest the moneys of the Board not immediately required for the purposes of the Board in or upon such investments or securities as the Department may direct.

Accounts and audit

8.—(1) The Board shall—

(a)keep, in such form as the Department may direct, proper accounts of all moneys received and of all moneys paid out by it;

(b)prepare and submit to the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and the Department, on or before such date in each year as the Department may direct, a statement of its accounts in respect of the financial year then last previously occurring, in such form and containing such information as the Department may direct.

(2) The Comptroller and Auditor General shall examine and certify the statement of accounts submitted to him by the Board.

(3) The Department shall lay before the Assembly a copy of the certified statement of accounts and of any report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon.

Annual report

9.  The Board shall annually on such date and in such form as the Department may direct make to the Department a report on the activities of the Board during the preceding year and a copy of each such report shall be laid before the Assembly.

Power to dissolve the Board

10.—(1) The Department may by order made subject to affirmative resolution make provision for, or in connection with, the winding up and dissolution of the Board.

(2) An order under this Article may—

(a)provide for the transfer of the functions, assets and liabilities of the Board to any other body or person;

(b)contain such incidental, consequential, transitional or supplementary provisions (including the amendment or repeal of any statutory provision (including a provision in this Order)) as appear to the Department to be necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the provisions of the order.