Overview

This bill temporarily transfers the powers of Northern Ireland's Department of Health to the UK Secretary of State. This is a temporary measure, lasting only until a new Northern Ireland Executive is formed.

Description

The Department of Health (Northern Ireland) Bill grants the UK Secretary of State the authority to exercise functions currently held by the Northern Ireland Department of Health. This includes:

• Mandatory Transfer of Regulatory Powers: The Secretary of State must exercise the power to make regulations or orders currently held by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, as defined under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
• Discretionary Transfer of Healthcare Powers: The Secretary of State may exercise other statutory functions related to primary healthcare in Northern Ireland, alongside the Northern Ireland Department if an Executive is in place.

The bill applies to the whole of the UK and comes into force immediately upon passage. It automatically expires when a new Northern Ireland Executive is formed under Section 16A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Government Spending

The bill itself doesn't directly allocate funds. The cost implications will depend on the extent of the Secretary of State's involvement in Northern Ireland's health system during the interim period. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

The main groups affected are:

• Northern Ireland Department of Health: Their powers will be temporarily transferred.
• UK Secretary of State for Health: They will gain temporary responsibility for Northern Ireland's health services.
• People of Northern Ireland: They will experience a change in the governance of their healthcare system, though the intended impact on service provision is not specified.
• Healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland: Their reporting lines might shift temporarily.

Powered by nyModel