Article 7(5).
1.—(1) There shall be paid to the chairman of the consumer committee such remuneration, and such travelling and other allowances, as the Director may determine.
(2) There shall be paid such pension, allowance or gratuity to or in respect of a person who has held or holds office as chairman of the consumer committee, or such contributions or payments towards provision for such a pension, allowance or gratuity to or in respect of such a person, as the Director may determine.
(3) If, when any person ceases to hold office as the chairman of the consumer committee, the Director determines that there are special circumstances which make it right that that person should receive compensation, there may be paid to him a sum by way of compensation of such amount as the Director may determine.
(4) The approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel shall be required for the making of a determination under this paragraph.
2. There shall be paid to members of the consumer committee other than the chairman such travelling and other allowances as the Director with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel may determine.
3. The Director may make arrangements for the consumer committee to be provided with office accommodation and with such services as he considers appropriate to enable it to carry out its functions.
4. The validity of any proceedings of the consumer committee shall not be affected by any vacancy amongst the members or by any defect in the appointment of a member.
5.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), meetings of the consumer committee shall be open to the public.
(2) The public shall be excluded during any item of business where—
(a)it is likely, were members of the public to be present during that item, that information furnished in confidence to the consumer committee by the Director would be disclosed in breach of the obligation of confidence; or
(b)the consumer committee has resolved that, by reason of the confidential nature of the item or for other special reasons stated in the resolution, it is desirable in the public interest that the public be excluded; or
(c)the item relates to a proposal to refer any matter to the Director in pursuance of Article 48(3) or 49(1)(a) or (4).
(3) Except to the extent that the Director otherwise directs (whether generally or in relation to the particular case), the public shall be excluded during any item of business which relates to—
(a)the determination of any dispute referred to the consumer committee under Article 42(5); or
(b)the investigation by the consumer committee of any matter in pursuance of Article 48(2) or 49(1)(b).
(4) The consumer committee shall give such notice—
(a)of any meeting of the consumer committee which is open to the public; and
(b)of the business to be taken at that meeting (other than items during which the public is to be excluded),
as it considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the meeting to the attention of interested members of the public.
6.—(1) The consumer committee may, with the approval of the Director—
(a)establish local and other sub-committees through which the consumer committee may carry out such of its functions as it may determine;
(b)appoint such persons (including persons who are not members of the consumer committee) to be members of any such sub-committee as it may determine; and
(c)regulate the procedure of any such sub-committee.
(2) Persons appointed under sub-paragraph (1) who are not members of the consumer committee may be reimbursed for their travelling expenses and such of their out-of-pocket expenses as do not relate to loss of remuneration.
7.—(1) There shall be paid by the Director out of money appropriated by Measure—
(a)any sums payable to or in respect of any person under paragraph 1, 2 or 6; and
(b)any expenses incurred by the consumer committee in accordance with any statement approved under sub-paragraph (3).
(2) The consumer committee shall prepare and send to the Director before the beginning of each financial year a statement of the expenses which it expects to incur in respect of that year for the purposes of, or in connection with, the carrying out of its functions.
(3) The Director shall consider any statement sent to him under sub-paragraph (2) and shall either approve the statement or approve it with such modifications as he considers appropriate.
8. In the [1975 c. 25] Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975, in Part III of Schedule 1 (other disqualifying offices), there shall be inserted (at the appropriate place) the following entry—
“Chairman of the Consumer Committee for Electricity appointed under Article 7 of the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.”.