Administration of Justice Act 1973

18 Payment of interpreters in criminal cases (Northern Ireland)

(1) In the [1968 c. 10 (N.I.).] Costs in Criminal Cases Act (Northern Ireland) 1968, after section 5 thereof, there shall be inserted the following section—

“5A Fees of required interpreter.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, where in any criminal proceedings an interpreter is required because of a defendant's lack of English, the expenses properly incurred on his employment shall, in accordance with rules made pursuant to section 7, be defrayed by the Ministry.”.

(2) Where in any of the following proceedings, that is to say.—

(a) any proceedings on an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal in Northern Ireland, or preliminary or incidental to such an appeal;

(b) any proceedings before a divisional court of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland in a criminal cause or matter;

(c) any proceedings on an appeal to the House of Lords from a decision in proceedings within (a) or (b) above or an application for leave to appeal from such a decision;

an interpreter is required because of a defendant's lack of English, the expenses properly incurred on his employment shall be defrayed by the Ministry of Home Affairs for Northern Ireland, up to an amount allowed by the court or (in the case of proceedings in that House) by the House of Lords.

In this subsection " defendant" means the person (whether convicted or not) who is alleged to be guilty of an offence.

(3) For the purposes of section 6 of the [1920 c. 67.] Government of Ireland Act 1920 this section shall, so far as it relates to matters within the powers of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, be deemed to have been passed before the appointed day within the meaning of that section.