The statutory functions of the Scrutiny
of Acts and Regulations Committee as set out in section 4D of the
Parliamentary Committees Act 1968 are –
(a) to consider any Bill introduced into
a House of the Parliament and to report to the Parliament as to
whether the Bill, by express words or otherwise –
(i) trespasses unduly upon rights or freedoms;
or
(ii) makes rights, freedoms
or obligations dependent upon insufficiently defined administrative
powers; or
(iii) makes rights, freedoms
or obligations dependent upon non-reviewable administrative
decisions; or
(iiia) unduly requires
or authorises acts or practices that may have an adverse effect
on personal privacy within the meaning of the Information Privacy
Act 2000; or
(iiib) unduly requires
or authorises acts or practices that may have an adverse effect
on privacy of health information within the meaning of the Health
Records Act 2001; or
(iv) inappropriately delegates
legislative power; or
(v) insufficiently subjects
the exercise of legislative power to parliamentary scrutiny;
and
(b) to consider any Bill
introduced into a House of the Parliament and to report to the
Parliament –
(i) as to whether the
Bill by express words or otherwise repeals, alters or varies
section 85 of the Constitution Act 1975, or raises an issue
as to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court;
(ii) where a Bill repeals,
alters or varies section 85 of the Constitution Act 1975, whether
this is in all the circumstances appropriate and desirable;
or
(iii) where a Bill does
not repeal, alter or vary section 85 of the Constitution Act
1975, but where an issue is raised as to the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court, as to the full implications of that issue;
and
(ba) to consider any Act
passed at any time after 25 February 2003 and before the commencement
of section 7 of the Parliamentary Committees and Parliamentary
Salaries and Superannuation Acts (Amendment) Act 2003 and to report
to the Parliament with respect to that Act on any matter referred
to in paragraph (a) or (b); and
(c) such functions as are
conferred on the Committee by the Subordinate Legislation Act
1994; and
(ca) such functions as are
conferred on the Committee by the Environment Protection Act 1970;
and
(cb) such functions as are
conferred on the Committee by the Co-operative Schemes (Administrative
Actions) Act 2001; and
(d) to review any Act where
required so to do by or under this Act, in accordance with terms
of reference under which the Act is referred to the Committee.