Procedure at a hearing
9.—(1) At the beginning of the hearing the adjudicator must explain the procedure which he or she proposes to adopt.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, the adjudicator must conduct the hearing of an appeal in such manner as he or she considers most suitable to the clarification of the issues before him or her and generally to the just handling of the proceedings and he or she must, so far as appears to him or her appropriate, seek to avoid formality in the proceedings.
(3) A hearing of an appeal must be in public except where the adjudicator is satisfied that, by reason of exceptional circumstances, it is just and reasonable for the hearing, or part of the hearing, to be in private.
(4) The following persons are entitled to attend the hearing of an appeal whether or not it is in private—
(a)any adjudicator appointed under section 73(3) of the Act; or
(b)a member of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council or its Scottish Committee.
(5) The adjudicator, with the consent of the parties, may permit any other person to attend the hearing of an appeal which is held in private.
(6) Without prejudice to any other powers the adjudicator may have, he or she may exclude from the hearing of an appeal, or part of it, any person whose conduct has disrupted or is likely, in the opinion of the adjudicator, to disrupt the hearing.
(7) At the hearing of an appeal the appellant may conduct his or her case him or herself (with the assistance of any person he or she wishes) or may appear and be represented by any person whether or not legally qualified.
(8) If in any particular case the adjudicator is satisfied that there are good and sufficient reasons for doing so, he or she may refuse to permit a particular person to assist or represent the appellant at the hearing.
(9) At the hearing of an appeal—
(a)the parties are entitled to give evidence, to call witnesses, to question any witnesses and to address the adjudicator both on the evidence and generally on the subject matter of the appeal; and
(b)the adjudicator may receive evidence of any fact which appears to him or her to be relevant notwithstanding that such evidence would be inadmissible in proceedings before a court.
(10) Without prejudice to regulation 7(4), where a party who has been sent a notice of the hearing of an appeal or otherwise notified of the hearing in accordance with regulation 8, fails to attend or be represented at the hearing, the adjudicator may dispose of the appeal in his or her absence.