Friendly Societies Act 1992

F1 60 Costs, procedure and evidence. U.K.

(1) A tribunal may give such directions as it thinks fit for the payment of costs or expenses by any party to an appeal.

(2) On an appeal under section 58(2) above the friendly society in relation to which the determination was made, or upon which the requirement was imposed, shall be entitled to be heard.

(3) The Treasury may make regulations with respect to appeals under section 58 above; and those regulations may in particular make provision—

(a) as to the period within which and the manner in which such appeals are to be brought;

(b) as to the manner in which such appeals are to be conducted, including provision for any hearing to be held in private;

(c) for requiring any person, on tender of the necessary expenses of his attendance, to attend and give evidence or produce documents in his custody or under his control and for authorising the administration of oaths to witnesses;

(d) for granting to any person such discovery or inspection of documents or right to further particulars as might be granted by a county court in England and Wales or Northern Ireland or, in Scotland, for granting to any person such recovery or inspection of documents as might be granted by the sheriff;

(e) for enabling an appellant to withdraw an appeal or the Commission to withdraw its opposition to an appeal and for the consequences of any such withdrawal;

(f) for taxing or otherwise settling any costs or expenses directed to be paid by the tribunal and for the enforcement of any such direction;

(g) for enabling any functions in relation to an appeal to be discharged by the chairman of the tribunal; and

(h) as to any other matter connected with such appeals.

(4) Regulations under this section with respect to appeals where the friendly society concerned has its registered office in Scotland shall be made by the Lord Advocate.

(5) A person who, having been required in accordance with regulations under this section to attend and give evidence, fails without reasonable excuse to attend or give evidence shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(6) A person who intentionally alters, suppresses, conceals, destroys or refuses to produce any document which he has been required to produce in accordance with regulations under this section, or which he is liable to be so required to produce, shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or both;

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 58A substituted (17.8.2001 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.12.2001) for ss. 58-61 by S.I. 2001/2617, arts. 2, 8(1), 13(1), Sch. 3 para. 75 (with art. 13(3), Sch. 5); S.I. 2001/3538, art. 2(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 60: power to transfer functions conferred (19.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/678, art. 2(1), Sch.

C2 S. 60(4): power to transfer certain functions conferred (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1750, arts. 1(1), 2, Sch. 1