23.—(1) Before issuing or revising a code of practice under Article 22 the Department shall consult such persons as it considers appropriate.
(2) Before issuing a code the Department shall—
(a)publish a draft code,
(b)consider any representations made to it about the draft,
(c)if the Department thinks it appropriate, modify the draft in the light of any representations made to it.
(3) If, having followed the procedure under paragraph (2), the Department decides to issue a code, the Department shall lay a draft code before the Assembly.
(4) If the draft code is approved by resolution of the Assembly, the Department shall issue the code in the form of the draft.
(5) In this Article and Article 22(3) and (4)—
(a)a reference to a code includes a reference to a revised code,
(b)a reference to a draft code includes a reference to a draft revision, and
(c)a reference to issuing a code includes a reference to issuing part of a revised code.