# Northern Ireland Act 1998, Section 19: Junior Ministers.


(1) The First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly may at any time determine—
(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
(b) that the functions exercisable by virtue of each junior Ministerial office shall be those specified in relation to that office in the determination.
(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.
(3) A determination under this section shall—
(a) make provision as to the circumstances in which a junior Minister shall cease to hold office, and for the filling of vacancies; and
(b) provide that a junior Minister shall not take up office until he has affirmed the terms of the pledge of office.
(4) A determination under this section shall not take effect until it has been approved by a resolution of the Assembly.
(5) Where a determination under this section takes effect—
(a) any junior Ministers previously appointed shall cease to hold office; and
(b) the procedures specified in the determination shall be applied within a period specified in standing orders.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/19 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-19
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.