8.—(1) The joint central committee—
(a)may hold four ordinary meetings each calendar year, each meeting lasting not more than two days;
(b)may, with the Scottish Ministers’ consent, hold such additional meetings as it considers necessary;
(c)may (in addition to any other meetings) hold one meeting each calendar year, lasting not more than two days, with the joint central committee of the Police Federation for England and Wales and the central committee of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland for the purpose of discussing matters of common interest; and
(d)must meet, at the Scottish Ministers’ request, for the purpose of considering any matter which they refer to it.
(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1)(b), such consent may be given if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the business proposed to be discussed at the meeting is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred until the joint central committee’s next ordinary meeting.
(3) In addition to the meetings mentioned in paragraph (1), a central committee may hold a separate meeting for the purpose of discussing matters of specific interest to constables holding the rank which its members represent.
(4) A meeting mentioned in paragraph (3) may be held only—
(a)if it takes place during the time allowed for an ordinary meeting of the joint central committee; or
(b)with the chief constable’s consent.
(5) The joint central committee and the central committees must act in accordance with any rules made under regulation 6 which regulate, or relate to, their respective functions and proceedings.
(6) The joint central committee may, in relation to matters in which the Federation represents its members, make oral or written representations to any of the following:—
(a)the Scottish Ministers;
(b)the Scottish Police Authority;
(c)the chief constable;
(d)a local commander of the Police Service (a constable designated under section 44(2) of the 2012 Act);
(e)a local authority;
(f)the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (the Commissioner established by section 33 of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006(1) and renamed by section 61 of the 2012 Act).