23.—(1) In this Schedule—N.I.
affected shall be construed subject to any regulations under sub-paragraph (2);
appeal tribunal means an appeal tribunal constituted under Chapter I of Part II of the 1998 Order;
the Chief Commissioner means the Chief Social Security Commissioner;
Commissioner means the Chief Commissioner or any other Social Security Commissioner, and includes a tribunal of two or more Commissioners constituted under paragraph 10(5);
prescribed means prescribed by regulations under this Schedule;
relevant authority has the meaning given by paragraph 1(1);
relevant decision has the meaning given by paragraph 1(2).
(2) Regulations may make provision specifying the circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated for the purposes of this Schedule as a person who is affected by any decision of a relevant authority.
(3) For the purposes of this Schedule any decision that is made or falls to be made—
(a)by a person authorised to carry out any function of a relevant authority relating to housing benefit; or
(b)by a person providing services relating to housing benefit directly or indirectly to a relevant authority,
shall be treated as a decision of the relevant authority on whose behalf the function is carried out or, as the case may be, to whom those services are provided.