1. These rules may be cited as the Life Sentence Review Commissioners' Rules 2001 and shall come into operation on 8th October 2001.
2.—(1) Subject to rule 24, these rules apply where a prisoner’s case is referred to the Commissioners by the Secretary of State under Article 6 or Article 9(4) of the Order.
(2) In these rules, unless a contrary intention appears—
“case papers” means those documents, materials and papers submitted by the parties under rule 14, 17 or 24(b);
“Chairman” means the chairman of the Commissioners appointed under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 of the Order;
“chairman of the panel” means chairman of the panel appointed under rule 3;
“Commissioners” means the Life Sentence Review Commissioners, appointed under Article 3 of the Order;
“the Order” means the Life Sentences (Northern Ireland) Order 2001;
“panel” means a panel of Commissioners constituted in accordance with rule 3;
“parties” means the prisoner and the Secretary of State;
“party” means either the prisoner or the Secretary of State;
“prisoner” means a life prisoner as defined under Article 2 of the Order;
“special advocate” means a person appointed under paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 2 to the Order to represent the interests of the prisoner.