{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-19",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-19.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/47",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/19",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "19",
  "heading": "Junior Ministers.",
  "text": "(1) The First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly may at any time determine—\n(a) that a number of members of the Assembly specified in the determination shall be appointed as junior Ministers in accordance with such procedures for their appointment as are so specified; and\n(b) that the functions exercisable by virtue of each junior Ministerial office shall be those specified in relation to that office in the determination.\n(2) Procedures specified in a determination under this section may apply such formulae or other rules as the First Minister and the deputy First Minister consider appropriate.\n(3) A determination under this section shall—\n(a) make provision as to the circumstances in which a junior Minister shall cease to hold office, and for the filling of vacancies; and\n(b) provide that a junior Minister shall not take up office until he has affirmed the terms of the pledge of office.\n(4) A determination under this section shall not take effect until it has been approved by a resolution of the Assembly.\n(5) Where a determination under this section takes effect—\n(a) any junior Ministers previously appointed shall cease to hold office; and\n(b) the procedures specified in the determination shall be applied within a period specified in standing orders.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 19(3)(a) applied (12.2.2000) by 2000 c. 1, s. 3(7)(b); S.I. 2000/396, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/19",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:12.253813+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."
}