18.—(1) The appropriate officer must authorise an interim payment in respect of a claim for fees in proceedings in the Crown Court in accordance with this regulation.
(2) Entitlement to a payment arises in respect of a claim for fees by an instructed advocate, where—
(a)the graduated fee claimed in accordance with Schedule 1 is £4,000 or more (exclusive of value added tax); and
(b)the claim for fees is for less than the amount mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) but is related to any claim for fees falling under sub-paragraph (a).
(3) For the purposes of this regulation, the following claims for fees are related to each other—
(a)the claims of instructed advocates acting in the same proceedings for a defendant; and
(b)the claims of any instructed advocate acting for any assisted person in related proceedings.
(4) Entitlement to a payment under paragraph (1) does not arise until three months have elapsed from the earlier of—
(a)the date on which the claim for fees is received by the appropriate officer for determination, except that where there are related claims for fees, the date on which the last claim is received by the appropriate officer; or
(b)three months after the conclusion of the last of any related proceedings.
(5) An instructed advocate may submit a claim for an interim payment under this regulation where—
(a)no payment has been made under paragraph (1); and
(b)six months have elapsed from the conclusion of the proceedings against the assisted person.
(6) Subject to regulation 31, payment must not be made under this regulation unless the instructed advocate has submitted a claim for fees in accordance with regulation 4(3).