{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78O",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78O.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/47",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/78O",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "78O",
  "heading": "Duty to have regard to best practice standards",
  "text": "(1) A public authority must, in providing services to the public or a section of the public in Northern Ireland, have due regard to any published best practice standards.\n(2) A public authority must prepare and publish a plan setting out the steps it proposes to take to comply with the duty in subsection (1).\n(3) A public authority—\n(a) may revise and re-publish the plan if the authority considers it necessary or desirable to do so, and\n(b) must revise and re-publish the plan if relevant revised best practice standards are published in accordance with section 78N.\n(4) In preparing or revising a plan under this section, a public authority must consult the Commissioner.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": "prospective",
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 7B inserted (22.5.2023 for the insertion of s. 78K, 29.1.2026 for the insertion of ss. 78J(1)(a)(b)(2)(3), 78L(1)(2)(a)(3)-(5), 78M, 78N and 78Q and otherwise prosp.) by Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 (c. 45), ss. 2(1), 10(2); S.I. 2023/566, reg. 2(c); S.I. 2026/75, reg. 2(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/78O",
    "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."
}