Regulation 4 Guidance for Northern Ireland departments
The Secretary of State may issue guidance for Northern Ireland departments about the Secretary of State’s arrangements for exercising direction and control under regulation 3.
Guidance under paragraph (1) may include, in particular, guidance about—
the role of a Northern Ireland department to support and advise the Secretary of State when the Secretary of State is exercising direction and control;
the role of a Northern Ireland department to advise the Secretary of State about the functions that must or may be exercised for the purposes of observing or implementing a relevant provision of the Windsor Framework;
the conduct of civil servants within a Northern Ireland department when the Secretary of State is exercising direction and control;
the types of functions or matters in respect of which the Secretary of State may decide not to exercise direction and control.
A Northern Ireland department must have regard to any guidance for the time being in force when a function of the department is exercised subject to the direction and control of the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State may revise or withdraw any guidance issued under this regulation.
The Secretary of State must publish any guidance issued or revised under this regulation.