Notice is hereby given that the Lord Chancellor, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 36(3) of the legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, alter consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, the Attorney General, the Crown Court Rules Committee and the Magistrates’ Court Rules Committee and with approval of the Treasury has made a Statutory Rule entitled:–

Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005–

These Rules, which come into operation on 5 December 2005, amend the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999 to insert a new marital status option of–“Other” and to make reference to the legal status of civil partners, as created by the provisions of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, in the statement of means form which an applicant for free legal aid under Part III of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order l981 may be required to furnish under Article 32 of that Order.

Copies of the Rules – Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland 2005 No. 500 may be obtained from The Stationery Office. 16 Arthur Street, BELFAST, BT1 4GD.