24.—(1) Before the end of—
(a)20 working days beginning with the first working day after the documents have been supplied to the member concerned under regulation 23(1); or
(b)where that period is extended by the person conducting or chairing the misconduct proceedings for exceptional circumstances, such extended period,
the member concerned shall comply with paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) The member concerned shall provide to the appropriate authority—
(a)written notice of whether or not he accepts that his conduct amounts to misconduct or gross misconduct as the case may be;
(b)where he accepts that his conduct amounts to misconduct or gross misconduct as the case may be, any written submission he wishes to make in mitigation; and
(c)where he does not accept that his conduct amounts to misconduct or gross misconduct as the case may be, or he disputes part of the case against him, written notice of—
(i)the allegations he disputes and his account of the relevant events;
(ii)any arguments on points of law he wishes to be considered by the person or persons conducting the misconduct proceedings; and
(iii)any documents supplied under regulation 23(1) which he disputes and his reasons for doing so.
(3) The member concerned shall provide the appropriate authority with a copy of any document he intends to rely on at the misconduct proceedings.
(4) Before the end of 3 working days beginning with the first working day after the date on which the member concerned has complied with paragraph (2), the appropriate authority and the member concerned shall each supply to the other a list of proposed witnesses or give notice that they do not have any proposed witnesses; and any list of proposed witnesses shall include brief details of the evidence that each witness is able to adduce.
(5) Where there are proposed witnesses, the member concerned shall, if reasonably practicable, agree a list of proposed witnesses with the appropriate authority.