Section 26 — Related amendment to Evidence Act 1893

Section 3 of the Evidence Act 1893 is amended by deleting subsection (6) and substituting the following subsection:“(6) For the purposes of sections 23, 128, 130 and 131, a reference to “advocate or solicitor” in those sections includes a reference to the following:

(a)any public officer in the Attorney‑General’s Chambers when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor;

(b)the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender, an Assistant Chief Public Defender or a public defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022, when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor.”. “(6) For the purposes of sections 23, 128, 130 and 131, a reference to “advocate or solicitor” in those sections includes a reference to the following:

(a)any public officer in the Attorney‑General’s Chambers when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor;

(b)the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender, an Assistant Chief Public Defender or a public defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022, when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor.”.