Search Legislation

Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Section 15

 Help about opening options

Alternative versions:

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, Section 15. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

15Investigations: evidenceU.K.

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

After section 69 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Human Rights Commission functions) insert—

69AInvestigations: evidence

(1)For the purpose of an investigation under section 69(8) the Commission may by notice in writing require a person—

(a)to provide information in his possession,

(b)to produce documents in his possession, or

(c)to give oral evidence.

(2)A notice may include provision about—

(a)the form of information, documents or evidence;

(b)timing.

(3)A notice—

(a)may not require a person to provide information that he is prohibited from disclosing by virtue of an enactment,

(b)may not require a person to do anything that he could not be compelled to do in proceedings before the High Court, and

(c)may not require a person to attend at a place unless the Commission undertakes to pay the expenses of his journey.

(4)The Commission may issue a notice under subsection (1) only if it has—

(a)considered whether the matter to which the notice relates has already been sufficiently investigated by another person, and

(b)concluded that it has not.

(5)The recipient of a notice may apply to a county court to have the notice cancelled on the grounds that the requirement imposed by the notice—

(a)is unnecessary having regard to the purpose of the investigation to which the notice relates,

(b)contravenes subsection (4) or section 69D, or

(c)is otherwise unreasonable.

(6)Subsection (7) applies where the Commission thinks that a person—

(a)has failed without reasonable excuse to comply with a notice, or

(b)is likely to fail without reasonable excuse to comply with a notice.

(7)The Commission may apply to a county court for an order requiring a person to take such steps as may be specified in the order to comply with the notice.

(8)A person commits an offence if without reasonable excuse he—

(a)fails to comply with a notice,

(b)fails to comply with an order under subsection (7),

(c)falsifies anything provided or produced in accordance with a notice or order, or

(d)makes a false statement in giving oral evidence in accordance with a notice.

(9)A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (8) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(10)A notice under this section may not require the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland to supply documents or evidence about a decision whether or not to institute or continue criminal proceedings.

69BInvestigations: national security

(1)Where a person is given a notice under section 69A(1) he shall disregard it, and notify the Commission that he is disregarding it, in so far as he thinks it would require him—

(a)to disclose sensitive information within the meaning of paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (c. 13) (Intelligence and Security Committee),

(b)to disclose information which might lead to the identification of an employee or agent of an intelligence service (other than one whose identity is already known to the Commission),

(c)to disclose information which might provide details of processes used in recruiting, selecting or training employees or agents of an intelligence service,

(d)to disclose information which might provide details of, or cannot practicably be separated from, information falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (c),

(e)to make a disclosure of information relating to an intelligence service which would prejudice the interests of national security, or

(f)to make a disclosure of information relating to the Police Service of Northern Ireland which would prejudice the interests of national security.

(2)Where in response to a notice under section 69A(1) a person gives a notice to the Commission under subsection (1) above—

(a)section 69A(7) and (8) shall not apply in relation to that part of the notice under section 69A(1) to which the notice under subsection (1) above relates,

(b)the Commission may apply to the tribunal established by section 65 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23) for an order requiring the person to take such steps as may be specified in the order to comply with the notice,

(c)the following provisions of that Act shall apply in relation to proceedings under this subsection as they apply in relation to proceedings under that Act (with any necessary modifications)—

(i)section 67(7), (8) and (10) to (12) (determination),

(ii)section 68 (procedure), and

(iii)section 69 (rules), and

(d)the tribunal shall determine proceedings under this subsection by considering the opinion of the person who gave the notice under subsection (1) above in accordance with the principles that would be applied by a court on an application for judicial review of the giving of the notice.

(3)Where the Commission receives information or documents from or relating to an intelligence service in response to a notice under section 69A(1), the Commission shall store and use the information or documents in accordance with any arrangements specified by the Secretary of State.

(4)The recipient of a notice under section 69A(1) may apply to the High Court to have the notice cancelled on the grounds that the requirement imposed by the notice is undesirable for reasons of national security, other than for the reason that it would require a disclosure of a kind to which subsection (1) above applies.

(5)An investigation under section 69(8) may not consider—

(a)whether an intelligence service has acted (or is acting) in a way which is incompatible with a person's human rights, or

(b)other matters concerning human rights in relation to an intelligence service.

(6)In this section “intelligence service” means—

(a)the Security Service,

(b)the Secret Intelligence Service, and

(c)the Government Communications Headquarters.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources