Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Rules 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Rules.)

These Rules amend the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Northern Ireland) Rules 1981 so as to:

(1) remove the provision for prescribed forms for giving notice of appeal and notice of hearing (Rules 3, 5, 7(a) and 13);

(2) enable a Chairman of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal on reviewing the appeal documents before the hearing, to require further information to be obtained or further evidence to be produced, and to take the opinion of a medical specialist or other technical expert and to give directions (Rule 6);

(3) make fresh provision for appeals to be heard in the absence of the parties (Rules 7(b) and 9);

(4) enable a designated person (normally a relative or a personal representative of a deceased appellant) to pursue an appeal which is not yet decided by notifying the Pensions Appeal Office in place of the requirement to make an application to the Chairman (Rule 11); and

(5) make other minor amendments. (Rules 2, 4, 8 , 10 and 12)