The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

[F1 Oral hearings N.I.

F1 Sch. 3A inserted (6.2.2015) by Gas and Electricity Licence Modification and Appeals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015/1), reg. 3(3), Sch. 1 (with reg. 5)

7.— (1) For the purposes of this Schedule an oral hearing may be held, and evidence may be taken on oath— N.I.

(a) by a person considering an application for permission to bring an appeal under paragraph 1;

(b) by a person considering an application for a direction under paragraph 2; or

(c) by a group with the function of determining an appeal;

and, for that purpose, such a person or group may administer oaths.

(2) The CMA may, by notice, require a person—

(a) to attend at a time and place specified in the notice; and

(b) at that time and place, to give evidence to a person or group mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) At any oral hearing the person or group conducting the hearing may require—

(a) the appellant, or the Authority, if present at the hearing to give evidence or to make representations or observations; or

(b) a person attending the hearing as a representative of the appellant or of the Authority to make representations or observations.

(4) A person who gives oral evidence at the hearing may be cross-examined by or on behalf of any party to the appeal.

(5) If the appellant, the Authority, or the appellant's or Authority's representative is not present at a hearing—

(a) there is no requirement to give notice to that person under sub-paragraph (2); and

(b) the person or group conducting the hearing may determine the application or appeal without hearing that person's evidence, representations or observations.

(6) No person is to be compelled under this paragraph to give evidence which that person could not be compelled to give in civil proceedings in the High Court.

(7) Where a person is required under this paragraph to attend at a place more than 10 miles from that person's place of residence, an authorised member of the CMA must arrange for that person to be paid the necessary expenses of attendance.

(8) A notice for the purposes of this paragraph may be issued on the CMA's behalf by an authorised member of the CMA.]