The Act gives legislative effect to those elements of the St Andrews Agreement that require primary legislation and thereby paves the way for the restoration of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland on 26 March 2007. It will cement a deal to secure the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland and therefore has the potential to be the foundation stone of a new Northern Ireland. The Act provides for transitional arrangements to be put in place between 24 November and the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly. It amends the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in relation to the operation of the institutions of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, providing for a statutory Ministerial Code amendments to the pledge of office and changes to the procedure for appointing First and deputy First Ministers. It places duties on a restored Executive to develop strategies relating to Irish and Ulster Scots language and to poverty and social exclusion, as well as to report to the Secretary of State a year after restoration on progress towards the devolution of policing and justice matters.