Citation, commencement and interpretation1.
(1)
These Regulations may be cited as the Legal Aid (Financial Conditions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and shall come into operation on 10th April 2000.
(2)
In these Regulations—
(a)
“the Order” means the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981;
(b)
“personal injuries” includes any death and any disease or other impairment of a person’s physical or mental condition.
Saving and revocation2.
(1)
These Regulations shall apply to any application for legal aid where the period of computation, as defined in Regulation 1(2) of the Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19813, begins on or after 10th April 2000.
(2)
The Legal Aid (Financial Conditions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19994 are hereby revoked save in their application to any case to which paragraph (1) does not apply.
Persons eligible for legal aid3.
For the yearly sums specified in Article 9(1) of the Order5 there shall be substituted—
(a)
where legal aid is sought in connection with taking, defending or being a party to proceedings which include a claim in respect of personal injuries, for the yearly sum of “£8,751”, the yearly sum of “£8,891”; and
(b)
in any other case, for the yearly sum of “£7,940”, the yearly sum of “£8,067”.
Contributions from persons receiving legal aid4.
For the yearly sum of “£2,680” specified in Article 12(1)(a) of the Order6 there shall be substituted the yearly sum of “£2,723”.
Irvine of Lairg, C.