{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/life-sentences-northern-ireland-order-2001/article-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/life-sentences-northern-ireland-order-2001/article-2.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/2001/2564",
  "legislation_title": "The Life Sentences (Northern Ireland) Order 2001",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/life-sentences-northern-ireland-order-2001",
  "path": "article/2",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Interpretation",
  "text": "(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.\n(2) In this Order—\n“the appointed day” means the day on which this Order comes into operation;\n“the Commissioners” means the Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland;\n“the release provisions” means the provisions of paragraphs (3) to (7) of Article 6;\n“life prisoner” means a person serving one or more life sentences;\n“life sentence” means either of the following imposed for an offence, whether committed before or after the appointed day, namely—\n(a)a sentence of imprisonment for life;\n(b)a sentence of detention during the pleasure of the Minister in charge of the Department of Justice under Article 45(1) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998;\n“prison” includes—\n(a)a young offenders centre; and\n(b)any other place in which a person may be detained under Article 45(1) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.\n(3) In this Order “protected information” means evidence or information the disclosure of which may, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, be against the interests of national security.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "1954 c. 33 (NI)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Art. 2(2): words in the definition of \"the Commissioners\" substituted (15.5.2008) by Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1216 (N.I. 1)), arts. 1(4), 102(1), Sch. 5 para. 8; S.R. 2008/217, art. 2, Sch. paras. 16, 18(e) (subject to art. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Art. 2(2): words in definition of \"life sentence\" substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 2(a) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "1998 NI 9"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Art. 2(3) inserted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 2(b) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2001/2564/article/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:40:34.778468+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}