The Child Support(Northern Ireland) Order 1991

The chairmen

3.—(1) The chairman of a child support appeal tribunal shall be nominated by the President.

(2) The President may nominate himself or a person drawn—

(a) from a panel appointed by the Lord Chancellor;

(b) from among those appointed under paragraph 4 to act as full-time chairmen; or

(c) from among those appointed under paragraph 1A of Schedule 10 to the Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 1975 to act as full-time chairmen of social security appeal tribunals.

(3) Subject to any regulations made by the Lord Chancellor, no person shall be nominated as a chairman of a child support appeal tribunal by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) unless he is a barrister or solicitor of at least 5 years' standing.

4.—(1) The Lord Chancellor may appoint for Northern Ireland full-time chairmen for child support appeal tribunals.

(2) A person is qualified to be appointed as a full-time chairman if he is a barrister or solicitor of at least 7 years' standing.

(3) A person appointed to act as a full-time chairman shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment, except that he must vacate his office at the end of the completed year of service in which he reaches the age of 72 unless his appointment is continued under sub-paragraph (4).

(4) Where the Lord Chancellor considers it desirable in the public interest to retain a full-time chairman in office after the end of the completed year of service in which he reaches the age of 72, he may authorise the continuance of that person in office until any date not later than that on which that person reaches the age of 75.

(5) A person appointed as a full-time chairman may be removed from office by the Lord Chancellor on the ground of misbehaviour or incapacity.

(6) Any person appointed as a full-time chairman under this Schedule shall not, so long as he holds office as such, practise as a barrister or act for any remuneration to himself as arbitrator or referee or be directly or indirectly concerned in any matter as a conveyancer, notary public or solicitor.

(7) The Department may pay, or make such payment towards the provision of, such remuneration, pensions, allowances or gratuities to or in respect of persons appointed as full-time chairmen under this paragraph as the Department may determine with the consent of the Department of Finance and Personnel.