Consultation Zone

Following the restoration of devolution the Executive undertook a review of the domestic rating system introduced by direct rule ministers in April 2007. The review made a number of recommendations and a number of consultation have recently completed on policy changes arising from the review. These include:

Full details of the consultations, including the consultation papers are available on www.ratingreviewni.gov.uk

New disability duties, which came into effect on 01 January 2007, task public authorities with promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people and encouraging the participation of disabled people in public life.

Public authorities are also under a duty to produce disability action plans to illustrate how they propose to fulfil these duties. These action plans had to be submitted to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland by 30 June 2007.

We would welcome any comments or suggestions on the draft Action Plan, which is a living document. Comments received mid to late June were taken into account prior to the Department submitting the plan to the Equality Commission. Any further comments received will be considered in future revisions of the plan.

The draft Regional Economic Strategy was published for consultation on 26 January 2007. The consultation closed on 19 April 2007. This document provides a brief summary of the consultation responses and sets out the Finance Minister's view on the comments made by the consultees.

Workplace 2010 is designed to transform the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) office estate, improving the working environment for staff and facilitating new ways of working in a way that demonstrates value for money for the taxpayer.  A draft EQIA considering the potential Section 75 impacts of the programme was issued for public consultation for the period 26 June 2006 to 27 October 2006. It considered the impact on NI Civil Service (NICS) staff, the general public, visitors to NICS buildings, current and potential suppliers and potential employees. The results of the consultation have now been included in the final EQIA report. For further information please visit the Workplace 2010 website

If a person dies without a valid will and is survived by his spouse or civil partner, then the law defines how much of the estate the spouse or civil partner will inherit from the estate. That amount is known as the statutory legacy. The basic rule is that the spouse or civil partner will receive the first £125,000 of the estate if there are surviving children of the intestate and the first £200,000 if there are not. If the estate is greater than that, then the remainder is divided between the spouse or civil partner and children, if any, or between the spouse or civil partner and parents or siblings.

The statutory legacy figures were last increased back in 1993. During 2005 the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) consulted on whether there should be increases in these amounts, given inflation of the past decade or so and the significant increases in average house prices in England and Wales.

The consultation closed on19 April 2007.

The Government's central economic aim is to sustain high and stable levels of economic and employment growth to secure prosperity for all the people of Northern Ireland. This regional economic strategy sets out the Government's economic priorities that will help achieve the economic vision to become a high value added, highly skilled, innovative and enterprising economy by 2015.

The consultation closed on 20 April 2007.

The consultation closed on 28 February 2007.

Public Consultation on EU Structural Funds Draft Northern Ireland Competitiveness and Employment Programmes 2007 to 2013.

The Secretary of State has launched a public consultation on the EU Structural Funds Northern Ireland Draft Competitiveness & Employment Programmes 2007 to 2013.

This consultation seeks views on two inter-related draft programmes, particularly, the proposed strategy, priorities and expenditure areas to be funded.

The consultation closed on Wednesday 14 March 2007

As the Government moves to an era of greater data sharing - to deliver better, more customer-focussed services and to protect the security of both individuals and society as a whole - it is essential for people to be confident that their personal data will not be wilfully or recklessly abused.  A consultation process is taking place under the direction of the Department of Constitutional Affairs.

The consultation closed on Monday 30 October 2006

The draft Rates (amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 is the third Order in Council relating to the reform of the rating system in Northern Ireland. It aims to give legislative effect to the Government's intention to introduce a range of reliefs for those on low incomes, vulnerable groups and also those most adversely affected by the move to the new capital value system.

Further information can be found on www.ratingreviewni.gov.uk

The consultationclosed on Friday 15 September 2006.

A wide-ranging review is examining the regulation of the legal profession and the rights of consumers accessing legal services in Northern Ireland.

The consultation ended on Friday 06 January 2006.

The Government published the draft Rates (Capital Values, etc) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 on 7 October. This was subject to 12 weeks consultation. The consultation document provides an overview of the key policy issues and includes the draft Order and associated explanatory memorandum.

The draft Order provides for the determination, publication and revision of the capital value of all domestic properties in Northern Ireland. For the non-domestic sector, the draft Order  provides for the full exemption from rates for community halls where they are made available for use by the wider community, subject to certain criteria,  and an increase in the level of sport and recreational relief from 65% to 80%.

For further information access the responses to the consultation at www.nics.gov.uk/ratingpolicy/respondents2.htm. The consultation ended on 30 December 2005.

Workplace 2010 is a three to five year estate strategy to transform and modernise the NICS office estate. It is recommended that the programme should be implemented through a PFI procurement. Proposals for a first phase include a number of office buildings on the Stormont Estate. As the Estate is protected by legislation a draft Order in Council has been prepared to amend the 1933 Stormont Act as it relates to Workplace 2010. This public consultation sought views and comments on the draft Order.  For further information please visit the Workplace 2010 website (www.workplace2010ni.org). The consultation ended on 16 December 2005.

The 1979 Order is the primary legislation for building regulations in Northern Ireland. It sets out the powers, duties, responsibilities and rights of the Department of Finance and Personnel, district councils and applicants in relation to building regulations matters, including giving the Department responsibility for writing regulations in the form of secondary, or subordinate legislation. The consultation ended on 04 November 2005.

As part of the overall Rating Review, this policy paper focuses mainly on the business and rural sectors. These include the case for providing relief for small businesses, farm diversification relief, relief for the equine sector, banking facilities in rural areas, the quarry industry and freight transport relief. The consultation ended on 08 July 2005.

The proposed measures will bring Northern Ireland's regulations into line with England and Wales and will result in a wider range of premises becoming accessible to people with disabilities. The consultation ended on 08 July 2005. Contact Building Regulations for more information.

This paper sets out the Government's proposals for the charitable sector in relation to rate liability . It examines the treatment of properties used for public, charitable and sport and recreation purposes. The consultation ended on the 17 June 2005.