1. These Rules may be cited as the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 and shall come into operation on 5th December 2005.
2. In these Rules “the principal rules” means the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Statement of Means) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1999(1).
3. In rule 2A of the principal rules after the definition of “diversionary youth conference” there shall be added—
““civil partner” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004(2).”.
4. In Form 1 in the Schedule to the principal rules, in section A (Personal Details) question 6, after the word “Divorced” there shall be added the words “Other (please specify)”.
5. In Form 1 in the Schedule to the principal rules, in section E (Property and Savings) question 22, for the words “Spouse/Partner” there shall be substituted the words “Spouse/Partner/Civil Partner”.
Signed by authority of the Lord Chancellor
Bridget Prentice
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Department for Constitutional Affairs
Dated 1st November 2005
We approve
Gillian Merron
Tom Watson
Two of the Lord’s Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury
Dated 9th November 2005