The Industrial Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

National security proceedings

13.—(1) In equal value cases which are also national security proceedings, if a tribunal has required an independent expert to prepare a report on the question, the independent expert shall send a copy of the report to the tribunal and shall not send it to the parties. In such proceedings if written questions have been put to the independent expert under rule 11, the independent expert shall send any answers to those questions to the tribunal and not to the parties.

(2) Before the Secretary sends to the parties a copy of a report or answers which have been sent to him by the independent expert under paragraph (1), he shall follow the procedure set out in rule 10 of Schedule 2 as if that rule referred to the independent expert’s report or answers (as the case may be) instead of written reasons, except that the independent expert’s report or answers shall not be entered on the Register.

(3) If the Secretary of State does not give a direction under rule 10(3) of Schedule 2 within the period of 28 days from the date on which the Secretary of State was sent the report or answers to written questions the Secretary shall send a copy of the independent expert’s report or answers to written questions (as the case may be) to the parties.