Clause 2 - Certification commissioner
Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
9:30 am
The Minister has talked about the difficulties of having three commissioners and says that there is no need to have three to get widespread acceptance. Why then does clause 13 provide that that is exactly what is needed for the appeals commissioners? Can he also explain how he can oppose amendment No. 179, which would simply build into the Bill the very assurance that he has given: he said that there is an absolute necessity to ensure acceptance of and consensus about the appointment, and amendment No. 179 would make that a requirement in the Bill. The Bill says that about the appeals commissioner, but it studiously and deliberately does not say that about the certification commissioner.