The Act lets Parliament trigger Northern Ireland changes by resolution, lets the Department for Social Development make orders to give effect to that resolution, and requires orders to be laid before Parliament and approved within six months or they lapse.
Social Services (Parity) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 An Act to make provision for maintaining certain social services generally in parity with Great Britain and for connected purposes. Where it appears to either House of Parliament that a change is contemplated in the law of Great Britain relating to any benefit or contribution payable under, or other matter dealt with by or under, any of the enactments mentioned in Schedule 1, that House may resolve that a change corresponding to any change that may be enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, with such modifications, if any, as are authorised by the resolution, should be made in the law of Northern Ireland by order made under the succeeding provisions of this section. Subject to subsection (4), where a resolution under subsection (1) has been passed the Department for Social Development may by order make provision for the purposes of securing that there are made in the law of Northern Ireland such changes as appear necessary or expedient to give effect to that resolution. Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), an order under this section may contain such incidental, consequential, supplemental and transitional provisions as may be necessary or expedient to give effect to the order or in consequence of any change in the law effected or to be effected by or under the order, including in particular— provisions— authorising the making of an order or orders appointing the day or days (whether before or after the day on which the order is made) with effect from which the order or any provision thereof is to come into operation; or authorising the making of orders or regulations (which orders or regulations may provide that they shall come into force with effect from such day or days before the making of the order or the day on which they are made, but not before the day appointed under sub-paragraph (i) for the coming into operation of the provision of the order under which they are made, as may be provided in them, and shall require to be subject to such control by Parliament as may be specified in the order) for such purposes as are specified in the order; and such provisions for the modification, application, adaptation or repeal or revocation of transferred provisions and statutory documents and for administration and enforcement as are specified in the order. An order made under this section shall be laid before Parliament after being made but shall (without prejudice to the validity of anything done thereunder or to the making of a new order) cease to have effect upon the expiration of a period of six months from the date on which it was made unless at some time before the expiration of that period the order has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament. [ Subject to the provision made by section 145(5) of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 [ and by Article 73(1) of the Social Security Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1975] for reimbursement out of the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund], there may be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament any increase attributable to the passing of this Act or to any order made under this Act in the sums which would fall to be so defrayed under any other transferred provision. Subs.(1), with Schedule 2, effects amendments In this Act the expressions “transferred provision” and “statutory document” have the meanings assigned to them in section 1 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 . This Act may be cited as the Social Services (Parity) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971. … The Family Allowances Acts 1965 to 1969. The Redundancy Payments Acts 1965 and 1969. The Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 . The Family Income Supplements Act 1970 . The Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. The Social Security Administration Act 1992. The Pension Schemes Act 1993 Any Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (whether passed before or after this Act) or any instrument made under any such Act which amends, extends, re-enacts (with or without modification) or repeals any of the above-mentioned Acts or any such Act of the said Parliament or instrument as aforesaid. Schedule 2 — Amendments 1954 c.33 1966 c.20 1970 c.55 SI 1999/663 1976 NI 28 1975 c.18 1992 c. 9 1975 NI 15 1973 c.38 1993 c. 49