
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Statutory Paternity Pay (Adoption) and Statutory Adoption Pay (Adoptions from Overseas) (Persons Abroad and Mariners) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 23rd May 2003.
2 
In these Regulations, “adoption from overseas” means the adoption of a child who enters Northern Ireland from outside the United Kingdom in connection with or for the purposes of adoption which does not involve the placement of the child for adoption under the law of any part of the United Kingdom.
3 

(1) The Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Persons Abroad and Mariners) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 shall have effect in relation to adoptions from overseas with the modifications set out in paragraphs (2) to (5).
(2) In regulation 1(2) (interpretation) –
(a) in the definition of “adopter”, for “has the same meaning as it has in the General Regulations” substitute “means a person by whom the child has been or is to be adopted”;
(b) after the definition of “the General Regulations”, insert –“
 “official notification” means written notification, issued by or on behalf of the relevant domestic authority, that it is prepared to issue a certificate to the overseas authority concerned with the adoption of the child, or has issued a certificate and sent it to that authority, confirming, in either case, that the adopter is eligible to adopt and has been assessed and approved as being a suitable adoptive parent;
 “relevant domestic authority” means –
(a) in the case of an adopter to whom the Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 apply, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; and
(b) in any other case, the Secretary of State;”.
(c) for the definition of “statutory paternity pay (birth)” and “statutory paternity pay (adoption)” substitute –
 “statutory paternity pay (adoption)” means statutory paternity pay payable in accordance with the provisions of Part XIIZA of the Act, where the conditions specified in section 167ZB(2) of the Act are satisfied;”.
(3) For regulation 1(3), substitute –“
(3) References in these Regulations to provisions of Parts XIIZA and XIIZB of the Act are to be construed as references to those provisions as modified by the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (Application of Parts XIIZA and XIIZB to Adoptions from Overseas) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.”
(4) In regulation 5(2) (entitlement to statutory paternity pay (adoption)) –
(a) in the first line, after “and who” insert “, in the week in which the adopter receives an official notification or completes 26 weeks' continuous employment with his employer, whichever is the later”; and
(b) in sub-paragraph (a) omit the words “in the week in which the adopter is notified of being matched with the child for the purposes of adoption”.
(5) In regulation 6 (entitlement to statutory adoption pay) –
(a) in the first line, after “and who” insert “, in the week in which he receives an official notification or completes 26 weeks' continuous employment with his employer, whichever is the later”; and
(b) in paragraph (a) omit the words “in the week in which he is notified that he has been matched with the child for the purposes of adoption”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Employment and Learning on 22nd May 2003.
R. S. Davison
A senior officer of the
Department for Employment and Learning
We concur in the making of these Regulations.
Jim Fitzpatrick
Nick Ainger
Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury
3rd June 2003