United Kingdom Statutory Instruments

(a) in rule 2(1), the definitions of "Joint Negotiating Committee" and "preliminary professional examination";

(b) in rule 2A(1)(a), the words "provided that no more than three calendar months have elapsed between any two successive periods of employment";

(c) rule 2A(2);

(d) in rule 3, the reference to rule 5; and

(e) rule 5.

(a) remove the requirement that to be employed as a clerk in court after 31st December 2008, a court clerk employed on 31st December 1998, who had not attained the age of 40 at that date, must qualify as a barrister or solicitor or pass all the examinations for one of those professions; and

(b) provide that a person employed as a clerk in court before 1st January 1999 who is not qualified under rule 4(1)(a) (that is to say, as a solicitor or barrister, or by having passed all the examinations for one of those professions) may accept further contracts of employment as a clerk in court, regardless of any interval between successive contracts.

The Rules also make minor drafting amendments.