Draft Regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament under section 37(2) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 for approval by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.
2006 No.
The Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006
Made
Coming into force
The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 9(1), (2)(a), (b), (c), (dd) and (de) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 19861, and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations, a draft of which has, in accordance with section 37(2) of that Act, been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament:
Citation and commencement1
These Regulations may be cited as the Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 12th June 2006.
Amendment of the Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Regulations 2003
2
The Advice and Assistance (Assistance by Way of Representation) (Scotland) Regulations 20032shall be amended in accordance with the following Regulations.
3
4
For regulation 6(2), substitute–
2
The assistance by way of representation which may be provided under Part II of the Act in relation to summary criminal proceedings in a sheriff court which has been designated by the sheriff principal–
a
as a youth court;
b
as a domestic abuse court; or
c
as a summary justice pilot court,
shall include representation of an accused person following a finding of guilt but only where criminal legal aid has not been granted to that person in terms of section 24 of the Act.
5
After regulation 6, insert–
6A
–
1
The assistance by way of representation which may be provided under Part II of the Act in relation to summary criminal proceedings in a sheriff court which has been designated as a summary justice pilot court by the sheriff principal shall include the attending upon, advising and acting for any person who appears from custody on the day when that person is first brought to a court to answer to any complaint and thereafter–
i
until the conclusion of the first diet at which he is called upon to plead and in connection with any application for liberation following upon that diet; and
ii
where he has tendered a plea of guilty at that diet, until his case is finally disposed of.
2
The references to “attending upon, advising and acting” in paragraph (1) above shall include the services of the solicitor at any preliminary plea to the competency or relevancy of the complaint and at any plea in bar of trial or any mental health proof.
6B
Where in summary criminal proceedings in a sheriff court which has been designated as a summary justice pilot court by the sheriff principal there is, following the refusal by the Board of any application for criminal legal aid made under section 24 of the Act, a change of plea, then assistance by way of representation may be provided under Part II of the Act only where the solicitor to whom application has been made has satisfied himself that the applicant is eligible to receive assistance by way of representation under the provisions of the Act and of these Regulations.
6
In regulation 7(2) for “regulation 6(1)(c), (d), (e) and (f)” substitute “regulations 6(1)(c), (d), (e), (f) and (2) and 6B”.
7
At the end of regulation 9, insert–
g
summary criminal proceedings in a sheriff court which has been designated as a summary justice pilot court by the sheriff principal in respect of which assistance by way of representation is provided under regulation 6A.
(This note is not part of the Regulations)