Explanatory note

This Act of Adjournal amends the Criminal Procedure Rules 1996 (“the 1996 Rules”) in consequence of the adoption of standard forms for certain requests for mutual legal assistance under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Paragraph 2(2) amends Chapter 23 of the 1996 Rules so that the new standard form is used when an application is made to the court under section 272(1) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (“the 1995 Act”) for the issue of a letter of request and the proposed letter of request is to be sent to a member State of the European Union.

Paragraph 2(3) amends Chapter 23A of the 1996 Rules so that the new standard form is used when an application is made to the court under section 273(2) or section 273A(2) of the 1995 Act for the issue of a letter of request and the proposed letter of request is to be sent to a member State of the European Union.

Paragraph 2(4) amends Chapter 36 of the 1996 Rules so that the new standard form is used when an application for request for assistance under section 7(1) of the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 is made to the court and the draft request is to be sent to a member State of the European Union.

Paragraph 2(5) inserts new Forms 23.1-D, 23A.1-C and Form 36.4-C into the appendix of the 1996 Rules.