The Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Child support: decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

43.  After Article 28 of the Child Support Order there shall be inserted the following Articles—

“Decisions and appeals dependent on other cases

Decisions involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

28ZA.— (1) This Article applies where—

(a) a decision by the Department falls to be made under Article 13, 14, 18 or 19 in relation to a maintenance assessment; and

(b) an appeal is pending against a decision given in relation to a different maintenance assessment by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) If the Department considers it possible that the result of the appeal will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the decision in some way—

(a) the Department need not, except in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision while the appeal is pending;

(b) the Department may, in such cases or circumstances as may be prescribed, make the decision on such basis as may be prescribed.

(3) Where the Department acts in accordance with paragraph (2)(b), following the determination of the appeal it shall, if appropriate, revise its decision (under Article 18) in accordance with that determination.

(4) For the purposes of this Article, an appeal against a decision is pending if—

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(5) In sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of paragraph (4), any reference to an appeal, or to an application for leave to appeal, against a decision includes a reference to an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 18 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.

Appeals involving issues that arise on appeal in other cases

28ZB.— (1) This Article applies where—

(a) an appeal (“appeal A”) in relation to a decision falling within Article 22(1) or (3), or an assessment falling within Article 22(2), is made to an appeal tribunal, or from an appeal tribunal to a Child Support Commissioner; and

(b) an appeal (“appeal B”) is pending against a decision given in a different case by a Child Support Commissioner or a court.

(2) If the Department considers it possible that the result of appeal B will be such that, if it were already determined, it would affect the determination of appeal A, the Department may serve notice requiring the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner—

(a) not to determine appeal A but to refer it to the Department; or

(b) to deal with the appeal in accordance with paragraph (4).

(3) Where appeal A is referred to the Department under paragraph (2)(a), following the determination of appeal B and in accordance with that determination, the Department shall if appropriate—

(a) in a case where appeal A has not been determined by the tribunal, revise (under Article 18) its decision which gave rise to that appeal; or

(b) in a case where appeal A has been determined by the tribunal, make a decision (under Article 19) superseding the tribunal’s decision.

(4) Where appeal A is to be dealt with in accordance with this paragraph, the appeal tribunal or Child Support Commissioner shall either—

(a) stay appeal A until appeal B is determined; or

(b) if the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner considers it to be in the interests of the appellant to do so, determine appeal A as if—

(i) appeal B had already been determined; and

(ii) the issues arising on appeal B had been decided in the way that was most unfavourable to the appellant.

• In this paragraph “the appellant” means the person who appealed or, as the case may be, first appealed against the decision or assessment mentioned in paragraph (1)(a).

(5) Where the appeal tribunal or Child Support Commissioner acts in accordance with paragraph (4)(b), following the determination of appeal B the Department shall, if appropriate, make a decision (under Article 19) superseding the decision of the tribunal or Child Support Commissioner in accordance with that determination.

(6) For the purposes of this Article, an appeal against a decision is pending if—

(a) an appeal against the decision has been brought but not determined;

(b) an application for leave to appeal against the decision has been made but not determined; or

(c) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, an appeal against the decision has not been brought (or, as the case may be, an application for leave to appeal against the decision has not been made) but the time for doing so has not yet expired.

(7) In this Article—

(a) the reference in paragraph (1)(a) to an appeal to a Child Support Commissioner includes a reference to an application for leave to appeal to a Child Support Commissioner; and

(b) any reference in sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of paragraph (6) to an appeal,orto an application forleaveto appeal, against a decision includes a reference to an application for, or for leave to apply for, judicial review of the decision under section 18 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.

(8) Regulations may make provision supplementing that made by this Article.”.