Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003

Annual plan

16.—(1) The Commission shall, before the beginning of each financial year (other than that specified in paragraph 15(4)(a)) prepare a plan setting out how it intends in that year—

(a) to fund civil legal services,

(b) to fund criminal defence services, and

(c) to exercise its other functions,

and the plan shall include a summary of what the Commission has ascertained in the exercise of its functions under Article 6(1).

(2) The Lord Chancellor may by direction require the Commission to deal with the matters specified in the direction in plans, or a particular plan, under sub-paragraph (1).

(3) The Commission shall send a copy of each plan prepared under sub-paragraph (1) to the Lord Chancellor.

(4) If the Lord Chancellor approves it, he shall lay a copy before each House of Parliament and the Commission shall publish the plan once it has been so laid.

(5) If he does not approve it, he shall by direction require the Commission to revise it in accordance with the direction; and the direction shall include the Lord Chancellor’s reasons for not approving the plan.

(6) When the Commission has revised the plan, it shall send the Lord Chancellor a copy of the revised plan, and he shall lay a copy before each House of Parliament, and the Commission shall publish the revised plan once it has been so laid.