The Restrictive Practices Court Rules 1976

58.—(1) Where it appears to the Court that any party has been guilty of unreasonable delay, or of improper, vexatious, prolix or unnecessary steps in any proceedings under section 1, 2 or 4 of the Act or of other unreasonable conduct (including, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, a refusal to make any admission or agreement as to the conduct of the proceedings which he ought reasonably to have made), the Court may make an order for costs against him.

(2) Where an order is made under paragraph (1) or under the powers conferred on the Court by section 22(2)(b) of the Act (which enables the Court to make an order for costs in proceedings under section 26, 35 or 37 of the Act) the Court may direct that the party against whom the order is made shall pay to any other party—

(a) a lump sum by way of costs; or

(b) such costs or such proportion of the costs as may be just.

(3) Where the Court gives a direction under paragraph (2)(b) it may—

(a) itself assess the sum to be paid; or

(b) direct that it be assessed by the proper officer of the Court; or

(c) direct that the proper officer of the Court refer the costs to be taxed or assessed by a Master of the Supreme Court (Taxing Office) or by the Auditor of the Court of Session in Scotland or by the Taxing Master of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland.

(4) Where a direction is given under paragraph (3)(b) or (c), any party aggrieved by the taxation or assessment may appeal to a judge within seven days of the taxation or assessment on giving notice to all parties concerned and to the officer who made the taxation or assessment; and the judge may dispose of the appeal himself, or refer it in whole or in part to a Court consisting of a presiding judge and at least two other members, and, in either event, rule 32(4) shall apply to the hearing of the appeal.