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Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2006

rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 17 January be approved [15th Report from the Joint Committee]. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, this order appoints 23 February 2007 as the date before which the amnesty period identified in the non-statutory decommissioning scheme must end. The amnesty period is the time during which firearms, ammunition and explosives can be decommissioned in accordance with the scheme. The amnesty provides immunity from prosecution for the offences set out in the schedule to the 1997 Act, offences that might be committed during the decommissioning process. Most such offences relate to the possession of weapons, but others may stem from a person’s participation in    decommissioning—not necessarily centred on weapons involved but on the behaviour that may accompany participation, such as the withholding of information or making arrangements with terrorists. Section 2 of the 1997 Act, as amended by the      Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning (Amendment) Act 2002, requires that a scheme must identify the amnesty period and that it must end before 23 February 2007, unless the Secretary of State appoints a later day by order. The order currently in force appoints the 24th of that month as the day before which the amnesty period must end. The purpose of the order before the House is to extend that period for a further year. I beg to move. Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 17 January be approved [15th Report from the Joint Committee].—(Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton.)