s 11 Power of Chief Public Defender to make inquiries, etc.
11.—(1) Where an application is made for criminal defence aid, the Chief Public Defender may —(a) make any inquiries that the Chief Public Defender considers necessary with respect to the means and other circumstances of the applicant and the merits of the application; (b) require the applicant to provide any documents and information that the Chief Public Defender requires for the purpose of considering the application; (c) require the applicant to attend personally before the Chief Public Defender to answer questions about the application and the proceedings concerned; (d) refer the application or any matter arising out of the application to a solicitor from an appropriate panel of solicitors established under section 4, for any of the purposes mentioned in section 4(1)(a); and (e) take or cause to be taken any steps that are necessary to conserve the interests of the applicant pending the determination of the application. (2) Where the application is made by the guardian of a minor, a reference to an applicant in subsection (1)(a), (b) and (c) is to be construed as a reference to the guardian and the minor jointly or to either of them severally.