Part I Scottish Legal Aid Board

The Board

3 Duties of the Board.

1

The Board shall, from time to time, publish information as to the discharge of its functions in relation to legal aid and advice and assistance including the forms and procedures and other matters connected therewith.

2

The Board shall, from time to time, furnish to the Secretary of State such information as he may require relating to its property and to the discharge and proposed discharge of its functions.

F12A

The Board is, from time to time, to give the Scottish Ministers such information as they may require relating to the availability and accessibility of legal services in Scotland.

3

It shall be the duty of the Board to provide to the Secretary of State, as soon as possible after 31st March in each year, a report on the exercise of its functions during the preceding 12 months.

4

The Board shall have regard, in the exercise of its functions, to such guidance as may from time to time be given by the Secretary of State.

5

Guidance under subsection (4) above shall not relate to the consideration or disposal (whether in general or in respect of individual applications) of—

a

applications for legal aid or advice and assistance;

b

supplementary or incidental applications or requests to the Board in connection with any case where legal aid or advice and assistance has been made available.

6

For the purposes of subsection (2) above, without prejudice to the requirements of section 5 of this Act, the Board shall permit any person authorised in that behalf by the Secretary of State to inspect and make copies of any accounts or documents of the Board and shall furnish such explanation of them as that person or the Secretary of State may require.