Consolidation of hearings of claims and references
77.—(1) Where a reference under section 18(1) of the 2004 Act and a claim relate to the same person, and the other party to the reference and the claim is also the same, the person or, where the claim was made by the person’s parent, the parent or the other party may apply to the First-tier Tribunal for an order that such a claim and reference be heard at the same hearing.
(2) A legal member may—
(a)make an order under paragraph (1);
(b)make an order varying or revoking an earlier order made under paragraph (1).
(3) An order under this rule shall only be made if it appears to the legal member to be fair and just to do so and, before an order is made, the parties have had the opportunity to be heard, and to have their views taken into account, either by a legal member alone or with such other members of the First-tier Tribunal as the legal member may consider appropriate.
(4) A legal member must not make an order under this rule if it would cause a breach of any of the rules in this Part or the rules in Part 2.