
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Legal Aid (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 and shall come into operation on 5th December 2005.
2 
In these Regulations “the principal regulations” means the Legal Aid (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1965.
3 
In regulation 1(2) of the principal regulations after the definition of “certifying committee” there shall be inserted—“
 “civil partner” has the meaning assigned to it by section 1 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004;”
4 
In paragraph 6(b) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after the words “any spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
5 
In paragraph 6(b)(i) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after the words “the spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
6 
In paragraph 6(b)(ii) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after the words “his spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
7 
In paragraph 7(b) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after the words “a spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
8 
In paragraph 8(b)(i) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after each instance of the word “spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
9 
In paragraph 8(b)(ii) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after each instance of the word “spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
10 
In paragraph 8(b)(iii) of the Schedule to the principal regulations after each instance of the word “spouse” there shall be inserted the words “or civil partner”.
Signed by authority of the Lord Chancellor
Bridget Prentice
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Department for Constitutional Affairs
Dated 1st November 2005