Legislation – Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022
PART 1Sexual offences
CHAPTER 3Guidance on this part
Guidance about this Part20
(1)
The Department of Justice must issue guidance about—
(a)
the effect of this Part, and
(b)
such associated matters as the Department considers appropriate as to criminal law or procedure.
(2)
A person exercising public functions to whom guidance issued under this section relates must have regard to it in the exercise of those functions.
(3)
Guidance under this section must include such information in suitable form for use in training for staff or personnel working within the criminal justice sector as the Department of Justice considers appropriate.
(4)
The Department of Justice must—
(a)
keep any guidance issued under this section under review, and
(b)
revise any guidance issued under this section if the Department considers revision to be necessary in light of review.
(5)
A review of guidance under this section must take account of such views on the operation of this Part obtained by the Department of Justice from bodies or agencies having functions within the criminal justice sector as the Department considers appropriate.
(6)
The Department of Justice must publish any guidance issued or revised under this section.
(7)
Nothing in this section permits the Department of Justice to issue guidance to a court or tribunal.