Oral hearing of appeals and references
22.—(1) An appeal tribunal shall, except where section 27(a) of the Administration Act applies, hold an oral hearing of any appeal or reference made to it.
(2) Any case may with the consent of the claimant or his representative, but not otherwise, be proceeded with in the absence of any one member other than the chairman.
(3) Where an oral hearing is adjourned and at the hearing after the adjournment the tribunal is differently constituted, otherwise than through the operation on that occasion of paragraph (2), the proceedings at that hearing shall be by way of a complete rehearing of the case.
(4) Regulation 21 (reference of a special question in child benefit cases) applies to an appeal tribunal as it applies to an adjudication officer, except that a tribunal shall, instead of referring a question in accordance with paragraph (3)(a) of that regulation, direct it to be so referred by an adjudication officer.