(1)Before making Online Procedure Rules, the Online Procedure Rule Committee must—
(a)consult such persons as they consider appropriate, and
(b)hold a meeting (unless it is inexpedient to do so).
(2)Rules made by the Online Procedure Rule Committee must be—
(a)signed by—
(i)at least half of the members of the Committee, where one of the signatories is the chair, or
(ii)a majority of the members of the Committee, in any other case, and
(b)submitted to the Lord Chancellor.
(3)The Lord Chancellor may allow or disallow Online Procedure Rules made by the Committee.
(4)In deciding whether to allow or disallow rules, the Lord Chancellor must have regard to the needs of persons who require online procedural assistance.
(5)If the Lord Chancellor disallows rules, the Lord Chancellor must give the Committee written reasons for doing so.
(6)Rules made by the Committee and allowed by the Lord Chancellor—
(a)come into force on such day as the Lord Chancellor directs, and
(b)are to be contained in a statutory instrument to which the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 applies as if the instrument contained rules made by a Minister of the Crown.
(7)A statutory instrument containing Online Procedure Rules is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
Commencement Information
I1S. 26 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 51(4)
I2S. 26 in force at 28.6.2023 by S.I. 2023/631, reg. 2