Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019

19 Rules

(1) Rules may make procedural provision for the purposes of this Part.

(2) The provision which may be made in rules under this Part includes provision—

(a) to specify information, documents or other material which must be provided in support of an application or appeal and the form in which information, documents or other material may or must be provided;

(b) to impose time limits;

(c) for the assessment and payment of the costs incurred in connection with legal advice and assistance;

(d) for the reimbursement of other costs or expenses of a specified description;

(e) for the making of payments under section 14;

(f) for enabling an award of compensation to be held on trust in such cases as the panel (on an application) or single judicial member of the Board (on an appeal) may determine;

(g) for enabling the recovery of a payment made in error.

(3) The provision which may be made under subsection (2)(c) includes provision requiring the secretary to the Board to pay on each application for payment of costs a specified amount to the solicitor making the application, regardless of whether or not the application for payment of costs is granted.

(4) But the rules may also provide that the secretary to the Board is not required to make a payment by virtue of subsection (3) if the secretary is satisfied that the application for payment of costs is wholly without merit.

(5) Rules under this Part may confer a discretion.

(6) Rules under this Part may contain incidental, supplementary, transitional or saving provision.