Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) These regulations may be cited as the Civil Legal Aid (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 and shall come into force on the 1st April 2005.

(2) In these Regulations, reference to a regulation by number alone means the regulation so numbered in the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989( 3 ).

Amendments to the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989

2. In regulation 95(3)—

(a) at the end of sub-paragraph (b), omit “; or”;

(b) omit sub-paragraph (c) and the words following it.

3. After regulation 95(3) insert—

“ (3ZA) The Legal Services Commission shall, as soon as it is possible to do so, register the charge under the Land Registration Act 2002, or, as appropriate, take equivalent steps (whether in England and Wales or in any other jurisdiction) to protect its interest in the property, and references to registration in regulations 96 to 98 shall be construed as references to registration or protection in accordance with this regulation. ” .

4. In regulation 95(4) for “Land Registration Act 1925” substitute “Land Registration Act 2002”.

5. In regulation 99(4)—

(a) for sub-paragraph (b) substitute—

“ (b) the applicable rate shall be—

(i) 8% per annum until 31st March 2002;

(ii) 5% per annum from 1st April 2002 until 30th September 2005;

(iii) 8% per annum from 1st October 2005; ” and

(b) omit sub-paragraphs (c) and (d).