BAILII is celebrating 24 years of free online access to the law! Would you consider making a contribution?

No donation is too small. If every visitor before 31 December gives just £1, it will have a significant impact on BAILII's ability to continue providing free access to the law.
Thank you very much for your support!



BAILII [Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback]

United Kingdom Statutory Instruments


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> United Kingdom Statutory Instruments >> The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal (Review of Disqualification Orders) Regulations 2006 No. 1929
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2006/20061929.html

[New search] [Help]



STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2006 No. 1929

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS, ENGLAND AND WALES

The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal (Review of Disqualification Orders) Regulations 2006

  Made 13th July 2006 
  Laid before Parliament 24th July 2006 
  Coming into force 15th August 2006 

The Secretary of State makes the following regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 9(2)(e), (3) and (3B) of the Protection of Children Act 1999[1]. In accordance with section 8 of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992[2], she has consulted the Council on Tribunals.



PART 1

INTRODUCTORY

Citation, commencement and interpretation
     1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal (Review of Disqualification Orders) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 15th August 2006.

    (2) In these Regulations—



PART 2

CONSTITUTION

Powers and functions exercisable by the President and Secretary
     2. —(1) Anything which must or may be done by the President (except under regulation 8(1), (2), (4) or (5) or 19(4)), may be done by a member of the chairmen's panel authorised by the President[7].

    (2) Anything which must or may be done by the Secretary may be done by a member of the Tribunal's staff authorised by the Secretary.



PART 3

APPLICATIONS AND DETERMINATIONS

Initiating an application
     3. —(1) A person who wishes to make an application to the Tribunal under sections 32 and 33 of the Act must do so in writing to the Secretary.

    (2) Applications may be made on the application form available from the Secretary.

    (3) An application must—

Acknowledgement and notification of application
    
4. —(1) On receiving an application, the Secretary shall—

    (2) If the President is of the opinion that the applicant is asking the Tribunal to do something which it cannot do, he may notify the applicant in writing—

    (3) If in the Secretary's opinion there is an obvious error in the application—

Misconceived applications etc.
    
5. —(1) The nominated chairman may at any time strike out an application on the grounds that—

    (2) The nominated chairman shall strike out an application if the appropriate conditions are not satisfied.

    (3) Before striking out an application under paragraph (1), the nominated chairman must—

Grant or refusal of leave
    
6. —(1) The nominated chairman shall grant or refuse leave to proceed with an application without a hearing in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation.

    (2) If, in the opinion of the nominated chairman the grant conditions are met, then leave shall be granted; otherwise it shall be refused.

    (3) The Secretary must without delay notify the applicant in writing of the decision of the nominated chairman, and if he has refused leave—

Reconsideration of refusal of leave
    
7. —(1) The nominated chairman must reconsider a decision to refuse leave to proceed with an application if, within ten working days after receipt of a notice under regulation 6(3), the Secretary receives a written request to do so from the applicant.

    (2) If in his request under paragraph (1) the applicant has asked to make oral representations about leave at a hearing, the Secretary must fix a hearing for those representations to be heard, and the applicant may appear or be represented by any person at that hearing.

    (3) If the nominated chairman again refuses leave after reconsideration—



PART 4

APPOINTMENT OF TRIBUNAL

Appointment of Tribunal
    
8. —(1) The President shall, at such time as he considers it appropriate to do so, nominate a chairman to determine the grant or refusal of leave to proceed with an application.

    (2) The President shall, at such time as he considers it appropriate to do so, nominate a chairman and two members of the lay panel to determine the case.

    (3) The President may, at any time before the hearing (or, if the application is to be determined without an oral hearing, before the application is determined) nominate from the appropriate panel another person in substitution for the chairman or other member previously nominated.

    (4) The President shall nominate members of the lay panel who appear to him to have experience and qualifications relevant to the subject matter of the case.

    (5) The nominated chairman may determine any application made in relation to the case.



PART 5

PRELIMINARY ISSUES AND CONDUCT OF PROCEEDINGS

Directions and preliminary issues
    
9. —(1) Following the grant of leave under regulation 6, the Secretary shall, without delay, send a notice to the applicant informing him of his right to appear, and to be represented, before the Tribunal to argue his case.

    (2) Where the applicant, before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the notice under paragraph (1) is sent, sends a notice to the Secretary stating that he wishes to appear before it, the Secretary shall fix a day on which the Tribunal is to hear the case and send to the applicant notice of the day, time and venue for the hearing.

    (3) The Secretary shall not fix a date for the hearing which is before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the applicant sends the notice referred to in paragraph (2) to the Secretary.

    (4) The applicant may be represented or assisted in any proceedings by any person.

    (5) The Tribunal (or the nominated chairman) may require any person (other than the applicant) to attend and give evidence or produce documents at the hearing.

    (6) The Tribunal (or the nominated chairman) may invite any person who, in its, or his, opinion, has an interest in the proceedings to submit written representations and any such representations shall be sent to the Secretary before the end of the period of 14 days beginning with the date on which the invitation is sent to that person.

    (7) If the applicant requests a preliminary hearing, or if the nominated chairman considers that a preliminary hearing is necessary, or would be helpful, the nominated chairman shall fix a date for such a hearing as soon as possible.

    (8) At any preliminary hearing which the nominated chairman conducts under paragraph (7), he may give such directions as he considers appropriate.

    (9) The Secretary shall notify the applicant and his representatives in writing of any directions the nominated chairman gives under paragraph (8) above.

General Conduct of Hearing
    
10. —(1) The Tribunal may regulate its own procedure.

    (2) At the beginning of the hearing the nominated chairman must explain the order of proceedings which the Tribunal proposes to adopt.

    (3) The applicant has the right to give evidence at the hearing in person, and any other person may do so unless the nominated chairman has directed otherwise.

    (4) The Tribunal may consider any evidence, whether or not such evidence would be admissible in a court of law.

    (5) The Tribunal may require any witness to give evidence on oath or affirmation which may be administered for the purpose by the nominated chairman or the clerk.

    (6) Subject to paragraph (7), the nominated chairman may adjourn the proceedings from time to time either at the request of the applicant or on his own initiative.

    (7) The nominated chairman shall not adjourn the hearing at the request of the applicant unless satisfied that refusing the applicant's request for an adjournment would prevent the just disposal of the application.

    (8) If the nominated chairman adjourns the hearing, then the Secretary must, without delay, inform the applicant in writing of the date, time and venue at which the hearing will be resumed.

    (9) If the applicant fails to attend or be represented at the hearing, the Tribunal may determine the case in his absence.

Hearing to be in public
    
11. —(1) The hearing must be in public except in so far as any person is excluded under regulation 16.

    (2) Whether or not the hearing is held in public—

are entitled to attend the hearing.

    (3) Whether or not the hearing is held in public—

may remain present during the Tribunal's deliberations, but must not take part in those deliberations, except where the President is the nominated chairman of the Tribunal.

Summoning of witnesses
    
12. —(1) The nominated chairman may, upon being requested to do so by the applicant, or on his own initiative, issue a summons requiring any person—

    (2) The summons must—

    (3) A person summoned under this regulation may apply in writing to the Secretary for the summons to be varied or set aside by the nominated chairman, and—

    (4) No person shall be required to attend, answer questions or produce any document in obedience to a summons issued under this regulation unless—

    (5) No person shall be required under this regulation to give any evidence or produce any document or other material that he could not be required to produce in legal proceedings in a county court.

Child and vulnerable adult witnesses
     13. —(1) A child shall only give evidence in person where, having regard to all the available evidence, and any representations made by the applicant, the nominated chairman considers that the welfare of the child will not be prejudiced by so doing.

    (2) If he directs that a child shall give evidence in person, the nominated chairman shall—

    (3) Where the nominated chairman believes that it might not be in the best interests of a vulnerable adult for the vulnerable adult to give oral evidence to the Tribunal, the nominated chairman shall, having regard to all the available evidence, including any representations made by the applicant, consider whether it would prejudice the vulnerable adult's welfare to give oral evidence to the Tribunal—

    (4) If the nominated chairman considers that it—

    (5) If he directs that this paragraph shall apply in relation to the vulnerable adult, the nominated chairman shall—

    (6) The Tribunal shall pay such reasonable fees as the nominated chairman may determine to any person appointed under this regulation.

Expert evidence
    
14. —(1) The nominated chairman may, if he thinks that any question arises in relation to the case on which it would be desirable for the Tribunal to have the assistance of an expert, appoint a person having appropriate qualifications to enquire into and report on the matter.

    (2) Subject to regulation 15, the Secretary must supply the applicant with a copy of any written report received under paragraph (1) in advance of the hearing or, if the case is to be determined without an oral hearing, before the case is determined.

    (3) If the nominated chairman sees fit, he may direct that the expert shall attend the hearing, and give evidence.

    (4) The Tribunal shall pay such reasonable fees as the nominated chairman may determine to any person appointed under this regulation.

Withholding medical report from disclosure in exceptional circumstances
    
15. —(1) This regulation applies where the report received under regulation 14(1) consists of, or includes, a medical report and the nominated chairman is satisfied—

    (2) The nominated chairman may appoint a person having appropriate skills or experience to assess whether disclosure of the medical report, or any part of it, to the applicant would be harmful to the applicant's health or welfare and report on the matter to the nominated chairman.

    (3) The nominated chairman may direct that—

    (4) The Tribunal shall pay such reasonable fees as the nominated chairman may determine to the person mentioned in paragraph (2).

Exclusion of press and public
    
16. —(1) Where paragraph (2) applies, the nominated chairman (or, at the hearing, the Tribunal) may on his (or its) own initiative, or on a request by the applicant that the hearing or any part of it should be conducted in private, direct that—

be excluded from all or part of the hearing.

    (2) This paragraph applies where the nominated chairman (or, at the hearing, the Tribunal) is satisfied that a direction under paragraph (1) is necessary in order to—

Restricted Reporting Orders
    
17. —(1) Where paragraph (2) applies, the nominated chairman (or, at the hearing, the Tribunal) may make a restricted reporting order.

    (2) This paragraph applies where the nominated chairman (or, at the hearing, the Tribunal) is satisfied that a direction under paragraph (1) is necessary in order to—

    (3) A restricted reporting order is an order prohibiting the publication (including by electronic means) in a written publication available to the public, or the inclusion in a relevant programme for reception in England and Wales, of any matter likely to lead members of the public to identify the applicant, any child, any vulnerable adult or any other person who the nominated chairman or the Tribunal considers should not be identified.

    (4) An order that may be made under this regulation may be made in respect of a limited period and may be varied or revoked by the nominated chairman before the hearing (or by the Tribunal at the hearing).



PART 6

DECISION

The decision
    
18. —(1) The Tribunal's decision may be taken by a majority and the decision shall record whether it was unanimous or taken by a majority.

    (2) The decision may be made and announced at the end of the hearing or reserved, and in any event, the decision must be recorded without delay in a document signed and dated by the nominated chairman (or if as a result of his death or incapacity he is unable to sign, or if he ceases to be a member of the chairmen's panel, by another member of the Tribunal).

    (3) The document mentioned in paragraph (2) must also state the reasons for the decision.

    (4) The Secretary must, as soon as reasonably possible, send to the applicant a copy of the document mentioned in paragraph (2) and a notice explaining to him any right of appeal which he may have against the Tribunal's decision, and the right to apply for a review of the Tribunal's decision.

    (5) Except where a decision is announced at the end of the hearing, the decision shall be treated as having been made on the day on which a copy of the document mentioned in paragraph (2) is sent to the applicant.

    (6) The decision shall be entered in the records.

Review of the Tribunal's decision
    
19. —(1) The applicant may apply to the President for the Tribunal's decision to be reviewed on the grounds that—

    (2) An application under this regulation must—

    (3) An application under this regulation may be refused by the President, or by the chairman of the Tribunal which decided the case, if in his opinion it has no reasonable prospect of success.

    (4) Unless an application under this regulation is refused under paragraph (3), it shall be determined, after the applicant has had an opportunity to be heard, by the Tribunal which decided the case or, where that is not practicable, by another Tribunal appointed by the President.

    (5) The Tribunal may on its own initiative propose to review its decision on any of the grounds referred to in paragraph (1) above, in which case—

    (6) If, following an application, or on its own initiative, the Tribunal is satisfied as to any of the grounds referred to in paragraph (1)—

    (7) The power to give directions under paragraph (6) includes a power to give a direction requiring the applicant to provide such particulars, evidence or statements as may reasonably be required for the determination of the review.

Powers of Tribunal on review
    
20. —(1) The Tribunal may, having reviewed a decision—

    (2) If any decision is set aside (whether as a result of a review or by order of the High Court), the Secretary shall alter the relevant entry in the records to conform to the chairman's certificate or the Order of the High Court and shall notify the applicant accordingly.

    (3) Any decision of the Tribunal under this regulation may be taken by a majority and the decision shall record whether it was unanimous or taken by a majority.

Publication
    
21. —(1) The President must make such arrangements as he considers appropriate for the publication of Tribunal decisions.

    (2) Decisions may be published electronically.

    (3) The decision may be published in an edited form, or subject to any deletions, if the nominated chairman considers it appropriate bearing in mind—



PART 7

SUPPLEMENTARY

Methods of sending documents
    
22. —(1) Any document may be sent to the Secretary by post, by fax, electronically or through a document exchange, unless the nominated chairman directs otherwise.

    (2) Any notice or document which these Regulations authorise or require the Secretary to send to an applicant shall be sent—

    (3) If a notice or document cannot be sent to an applicant in accordance with paragraph (2), the nominated chairman may dispense with service of it or direct that it be served on the applicant in such manner as he thinks appropriate.

    (4) Any notice or document sent by the Secretary to an applicant in accordance with these Regulations shall be taken to have been received—

Irregularities
    
23. —(1) Any irregularity resulting from failure to comply with any provision of these Regulations or any direction given in accordance with them before the Tribunal has reached its decision shall not of itself render the proceedings void.

    (2) Where any irregularity comes to the attention of the nominated chairman (before the hearing) or the Tribunal he or it may and, if it appears that any person may have been prejudiced by the irregularity shall, before reaching a decision, give such directions as he or it thinks just to cure or waive the irregularity.

    (3) Clerical mistakes in any document recording the decision of the Tribunal or a direction or decision of the nominated chairman, or errors arising in such documents from accidental slips or omissions, may at any time be corrected by the nominated chairman by means of a certificate signed by him.

    (4) The Secretary shall as soon as practicable where a document is corrected in accordance with paragraph (3) send the applicant a copy of any corrected document together with reasons for the decision to correct the document.

Death of applicant
    
24. If the applicant dies before the application is determined, the nominated chairman may strike out the application.

Withdrawal of application
    
25. If the applicant at any time notifies the Secretary of State in writing, or states at a hearing, that he no longer wishes to pursue the application, the nominated chairman (or at the hearing, the Tribunal) must dismiss the application.

Proof of documents and certification of decisions
    
26. —(1) A document purporting to be issued by the Secretary shall be taken to have been so issued, unless the contrary is proved.

    (2) A document purporting to be certified by the Secretary to be a true copy of a document containing—

shall be sufficient evidence of the matters contained in it, unless the contrary is proved.

Time
    
27. —(1) The nominated chairman may extend any time limit mentioned in these Regulations if in the circumstances—

    (2) The nominated chairman may reduce any time limit mentioned in these Regulations if he considers it reasonable to do so and the applicant agrees to the reduction.

    (3) Where the time prescribed by these Regulations, or specified in any direction given by the nominated chairman, for taking any step expires on a day which is not a working day, the step must be treated as having been done in time if it is done on the next working day.



Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health


Ivan Lewis
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department of Health

13th July 2006



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations make provision about the proceedings of the Tribunal established by section 9 of the Protection of Children Act 1999. The jurisdiction of the Tribunal has been extended by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c.43) ("the 2000 Act"), Schedule 7. These Regulations make provision for the conduct of proceedings of the Tribunal in relation to the review of determinations under sections 32 and 33 of the 2000 Act (disqualification orders).

Part 1 makes provision in respect of citation, commencement and interpretation (regulation 1).

Part 2 makes provision as to the constitution of the Tribunal, in respect of the powers and functions that may be exercised by the President and the Secretary (regulation 2).

Part 3 makes provision in relation to applications and determinations and sets out the procedural steps involved in the making and acknowledgement of applications (regulations 3 and 4). It also enables misconceived applications to be struck out (regulation 5) and deals with the grant or refusal of leave (regulation 6) and the re-consideration of a refusal of leave (regulation 7).

Part 4 makes provision about the appointment of the Tribunal (regulation 8).

Part 5 makes provision about directions and preliminary issues (regulation 9), and the conduct of the hearing (regulations 10 and 11). In addition, provision is made about the summoning of witnesses (regulation 12) and particular arrangements applying to child and vulnerable adult witnesses (regulation 13), allowing for the provision of expert evidence (regulation 14) and where medical reports may be withheld from disclosure in certain circumstances (regulation 15), for excluding the press and public from hearings (regulation 16) and for restricted reporting orders (regulation 17).

Part 6 deals with the Tribunal's decision (regulation 18), the power of the Tribunal to review its decision either on its own initiative or at the request of the applicant (regulation 19), the powers of the Tribunal on such a review (regulation 20) and the publication of the decision (regulation 21).

Part 7 deals with supplementary matters. Regulation 22 provides for the method of sending documents, regulation 23 provides for dealing with any irregularities, regulation 24 provides for cases where the applicant dies, regulation 25 provides for withdrawal of applications, regulation 26 makes provision for the proof of documents and certifying of decisions and regulation 27 provides for extending and in certain circumstances reducing time limits mentioned in the Regulations.


Notes:

[1] 1999 c.14 ("the 1999 Act"). Section 9(2)(e) of the 1999 Act was inserted by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43), Schedule 7, paragraphs 154 and 157. Section 9(3A) to (3C) of the 1999 Act was inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14) ("the 2000 Act"), section 116 and Schedule 4, paragraph 26(1) and (3)(b).back

[2] 1992 c.53. Schedule 1, paragraph 36A of the Tribunal and Inquiries Act 1992 ("the 1992 Act") was inserted by the Schedule to the 1999 Act, paragraph 8. Schedule 1, paragraph 36A of the 1992 Act was renumbered as paragraph 36B and amended by the 2000 Act, Schedule 4, paragraph 21.back

[3] 2000 c.43.back

[4] S.I. 2002/816 to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.back

[5] 1983 c. 20.back

[6] 1971 c.80.back

[7] See paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Schedule to the 1999 Act for details of the chairmen's panel.back

[8] 1999 c. 14.back



ISBN 0 11 074860 3


 © Crown copyright 2006

Prepared 24 July 2006


BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Donate to BAILII
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2006/20061929.html