Procedure and members' interestsE+W
7(1)The HCA may, subject to any directions given by the Secretary of State, decide—E+W
(a)its own procedure, and
(b)the procedure of any of its committees or sub-committees.
(2)Subject to this, a committee may decide the procedure of any of its sub-committees.
(3)Subject as above, a committee or sub-committee may decide its own procedure.
(4)In this paragraph “procedure” includes quorum.
8E+WThe validity of proceedings of the HCA, or of any of its committees or sub-committees, is not affected by—
(a)any vacancy,
(b)any defective appointment, or
(c)any contravention of—
(i)directions given as mentioned in paragraph 7(1), or
(ii)paragraph 9.
9(1)A member of the HCA who is directly or indirectly interested in any matter arising at a meeting of the HCA must disclose the nature of that interest to the meeting.E+W
(2)A member of a committee or sub-committee of the HCA who is directly or indirectly interested in any matter arising at a meeting of the committee or sub-committee must disclose the nature of that interest to the meeting.
(3)In the case of a matter disclosed under this paragraph by a member of the HCA or of a committee or sub-committee, the member—
(a)must not take part in any deliberation or decision about the matter if it is a contract or agreement of any description, but
(b)may otherwise take part in any deliberation or decision about the matter unless at least one-third of the other members at the meeting decide that the interest disclosed might prejudicially affect the member's consideration of the matter.