PART IV

PREPARATION FOR DECIDING THE APPEAL

Representations by interested persons17

1

The tribunal must as soon as practicable send to–

a

any person named by the appellant or the Secretary of State as having a direct interest in the subject matter of the appeal, and

b

any other person whom the chairman is satisfied has such a direct interest,

copies of the documents supplied by each party in relation to the appeal, together with an invitation to send written representations to the tribunal so that they are received before the end of a period of 21 days beginning with the date of that invitation.

2

The tribunal must as soon as practicable send to each of the parties a copy of any representations received under this regulation, together with an invitation to send written comments on them to the tribunal so that they are received before the end of the period of 7 days beginning with the date of that invitation.

3

The tribunal must not decide the appeal before–

a

the end of the period allowed for making representations under paragraph (1), or

b

the end of any period allowed for making comments under paragraph (2),

whichever is the later.