(1)There shall be a committee known as the Northern Ireland Crown Court Rules Committee (in this Act referred to as the Crown Court Rules Committee) which, subject to section 54(2), shall consist of—
(a)the Lord Chief Justice who shall be chairman ;
(b)two judges of the High Court or the Court of Appeal nominated from time to time by the Lord Chief Justice ;
(c)two county court judges nominated by the Lord Chancellor after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice;
(d)a resident magistrate nominated by the Lord Chancellor after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice ;
(e)the Master (Queen's Bench and Appeals);
(f)a practising member of the Bar of Northern Ireland nominated by the Lord Chancellor;
(g)one other practising member of the Bar of Northern Ireland nominated by the Council thereof;
(h)the president of the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland or a member of the Council thereof nominated by him;
(i)a practising solicitor nominated by that Council;
and shall have the functions conferred on it in relation to the making of Crown Court rules by section 52.
(2)The secretary to the Crown Court Rules Committee shall be such person as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time designate and such secretary shall, in relation to Crown Court rules, be the responsible officer within the meaning of sections 2 and 4 of the [1958 c. 18 (N.I.).] Statutory Rules Act (Northern Ireland) 1958.
(3)Sections 54(2), (3), (4) and (6), 55(3) and 56(1), (2) and (3) shall apply to the Crown Court Rules Committee and Crown Court rules as if references in those provisions to the Rules Committee and rules of court included references to the Crown Court Rules Committee and Crown Court rules respectively.