This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Presenting from outside Northern Ireland'.


 
E Farrell  
 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx   
__________________________________________________________________ 
 
07 February 2022   
 
 
 
 
 
Ref: FOI_21_274 
Freedom of Information Request  
 
Dear E Farrell 
Thank you for your request for information, received on 20 December 2021, which reads 
as follows; 
 
Can you please explain if the Housing Executive has a duty to assess a person under 
Article 7 of the Housing (NI) Order 1988 if that person is not physically present in 
Northern Ireland? 
 
As a example, is the duty triggered if a person from London, who has a local 
connection to Northern Ireland, contacts the Housing Executive and provides 
evidence that they are threatened with homelessness?  
 
Can you please provide any legislation, guidance or case law that supports your 
position on this issue? 
 

Your request has been understood as both a general enquiry in relation to Article 7 and 
also a Freedom of Information Request in relation to supporting information.  
 
In relation to the scope of Article 7 I would comment as follows: 
 
The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 only operates within the confines of Northern 
Ireland and the legal basis for the requirement that a person must be present in Northern 
Ireland in order to be considered under the homelessness legislation as contained in Part 
II of the Housing (NI) Order 1988, is broadly as follows –  
 
1.  In law there is “the presumption of applicability” or “comity” in respect of the extent 
and application of legislation.  
 
2.  The general principle is that “an enactment applies to all persons and matters within 
the territory to which it extends, but not to any other persons or matters” (Bennion 
Statutory Interpretation (4th Ed, 2002, page 306)). 
 
3.  The “extent” of an Act is the geographical area throughout which it is law.  In this 
context, the term “Act” is taken to include Orders in Council and Statutory 
Instruments enacted in respect of Northern Ireland.  Although the 1988 Housing 
Order does not expressly detail the extent of that Order, this is considered to be 

unnecessary / immaterial because they are Northern Ireland specific concerned 
with the governance of the subject matter in terms of the territory of Northern 
Ireland.  
 
4.  This means that as a general rule the legislature intends that the legislation is 
concerned with all conduct taking place in the geographical area to which it applies 
and not to other persons and matters. In the absence of any explicit provision to the 
contrary the general rule applies. 
 
In relation to supporting evidence, beyond the 1988 Order itself, I can confirm that the 
Housing Executive has processed your request as a request for information under the 
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and would respond as follows;  
 
1)  Can you please provide any legislation, guidance or case law that supports 
your position on this issue? 
 
In response to your enquiry I would refer you to the legislation detailed above. 
 
I hope that this information is of assistance to you. However, if you feel that this response 
does  not  adequately  meet  your  request,  please  contact  our  Landlord  Services  FOI  co-
ordinator, Annabel Torney on (028) 95982236 or by email xxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx in 
the first instance. 
 
You have the right to request a formal review by the Housing Executive within two calendar 
months of the date of this letter. 
 
You may write to:  
 
Freedom of Information 
Information Governance Team 
Planning, Performance Risk & Governance 
Northern Ireland Housing Executive  
The Housing Centre  
2 Adelaide Street  
Belfast, BT2 8PB  
 
or contact us via email at xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx . 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply 
directly to the Information Commissioner for a review of our original decision.   
 
The Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 

Cheshire SK9 5AF 
 
 
 
Yours Sincerely,  
 
Richard Tanswell 
Homelessness Policy & Strategy Manager (A)
 
 
 
 
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