A consultation paper on the Legal Aid Arrangements for Onward Appeals from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal setting out the proposals for new legal aid arrangements for challenges to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) issued on 12 April 2005. The introduction of those arrangements in Northern Ireland was deferred to enable amendments, required as a result of operational experience in England and Wales, to be made. Those amendments have been identified and, as in England and Wales, it is now planned to introduce the arrangements in Northern Ireland in April 2007. This consultation therefore focuses on the amendments and not the proposed arrangements as consulted on in 2005.

This consultation is being conducted in line with the Government's Code on Consultation and is targeted at a limited number of stakeholders who have the specialist knowledge and experience to comment on the proposed changes to the legal aid arrangements for immigration and asylum appeals in Northern Ireland.

The draft regulations, as explained in the covering letter, for consultation are:

Draft Legal Aid (Scope) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Draft Legal Aid (Asylum and Immigration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

The response period for this consultation is now closed.

Click here to view the Response to Consultation