Interpretation
3.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,–
“the Act” means the Legal Aid Act 1988;
“area committee”, “Area Director” and “assessment officer” have the meanings assigned to them by the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989(1);
“certificate” means a legal aid certificate issued in accordance with the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989;
“child” means a person–
under the age that is for the time being the upper limit of compulsory school age within the meaning of the Education Act 1944(2); or
over the limit of compulsory school age and either receiving full-time instruction at an educational establishment or undergoing training for a trade, profession or vocation;
“contribution” and “maximum contribution” have the meanings assigned to them by the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989;
“disposable capital” and “disposable income” have the meanings assigned to them by regulation 4;
“income” includes–
benefits,
privileges, and
any sum payable (whether voluntarily or under a court order, the terms of any instrument or otherwise) for the purpose of the maintenance of a child;
“legal aid” means representation under Part IV of the Act;
“make an assessment”, in relation to the assessment officer, means to assess the disposable income, disposable capital and maximum contribution of the person concerned;
“period of computation” means the period of 12 months next ensuing from the date of the application for a certificate, or such other period of 12 months as in the particular circumstances of any case the assessment officer may consider to be appropriate;
“person concerned” means the person–
whose disposable income and disposable capital are to be assessed or reassessed; or
whose resources are to be treated as the resources of any other person under these Regulations.
(2) Any reference in these Regulations to a regulation or Schedule by number means the regulation or Schedule so numbered in these Regulations.
S.I. 1989/339.