Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Advice and assistance

23.—(1) The Commission shall fund such advice and assistance as it considers appropriate—

(a) for individuals who are arrested and held in custody at a police station or other premises, and

(b) in prescribed circumstances, for individuals who—

(i) are not within sub-paragraph (a) but are involved in investigations which may lead to relevant proceedings,

(ii) are before a court or other body in such proceedings, or

(iii) have been the subject of such proceedings.

(2) The Commission may comply with the duty imposed by paragraph (1) by—

(a) entering into contracts with persons or bodies for the provision of advice or assistance by them,

(b) making payments to persons or bodies in respect of the provision of advice or assistance by them,

(c) making grants or loans to persons or bodies to enable them to provide, or facilitate the provision of, advice or assistance,

(d) establishing and maintaining bodies to provide, or facilitate the provision of, advice or assistance,

(e) making grants to individuals to enable them to obtain advice or assistance,

(f) employing persons to provide advice or assistance, or

(g) doing anything else which it considers appropriate for funding advice and assistance.

(3) The Lord Chancellor may by order require the Commission to discharge the function in paragraph (2) in accordance with the order.

(4) The Commission may fund advice and assistance by different means—

(a) in different areas in Northern Ireland, and

(b) in relation to different descriptions of cases.