Admission to a hearing
8.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, a hearing is to be held in public.
(2) The adjudicator may direct that the whole or any part of a hearing be held in private if satisfied that it is just and reasonable to do so by reason of—
(a)the likelihood of disclosure of intimate personal or financial circumstances;
(b)the likelihood of disclosure of commercially sensitive information or information obtained in confidence; or
(c)exceptional circumstances not falling within paragraph (a) or (b).
(3) Any other adjudicator is entitled to attend the hearing of an appeal which is held in private.
(4) The adjudicator, with the consent of the parties, may permit any other person to attend the hearing of an appeal which is held in private or, where part of it is so held, that part.
(5) Without prejudice to any other powers an adjudicator may have, the adjudicator may exclude from the hearing of an appeal, or part of it, any person whose conduct has disrupted or is likely, in the opinion of the adjudicator, to disrupt the hearing.