Citation and commencement

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 26th December 2003.

Interpretation

2.  In these Rules “the principal rules” means the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999(3).

3.  After rule 2 of the principal rules there shall be inserted the following new rule –

“Interpretation

2A.  In these Rules “diversionary youth conference” has the meaning given by Article 10A(2) of the Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998(4).”.

Statement of means forms

4.  For rule 3 of the principal rules there shall be substituted the following new rule –

“Statement of means forms

3.  Form 1 in the Schedule shall be the prescribed form for the purposes of Article 32(1) of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (statement of means for the purposes of legal aid in criminal proceedings) and Form 2 shall be the prescribed form for the purposes of Article 28A of that Order (statement of means for the purposes of legal aid for diversionary youth conferences).”.

5.  The form set out in the Schedule shall be inserted in the Schedule to the principal rules.

Rule 5

SCHEDULE

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Rules.)

These Rules amend the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999 to provide a statement of means form for an application for free legal aid for diversionary youth conferences under Article 28A of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.