Explanatory note

Under section 2(1) of the Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (“the Act”) a decommissioning scheme must identify a period during which firearms, ammunition and explosives may be dealt with in accordance with the scheme (“the amnesty period”). Under subsection (2) of section 2, the amnesty period must end before the first anniversary of the day on which the Act was passed or such later day as the Secretary of State may by order from time to time appoint. Under subsection (3) of that section, a day appointed by such an order must not be more than twelve months after the day on which the order was made or more than five years after the day on which the Act was passed. The Act was passed on 27th February 1997.

This Order appoints 27th February 2002 as the day before which the amnesty period identified in a decommissioning scheme must end. The Order revokes the fourth Order made under section 2(2) (S.I. 2000/1409) which appointed 20th May 2001 for the purposes of section 2(2)(b).