Financial Services and Markets Tribunal

HL Deb 24 July 2001 vol 626 cc193-4WA

Lord Bledisloe

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What ministerial statements have been made relating to the privacy and confidentiality of proceedings on appeals to the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal other than the publication of the final determination of that tribunal. [HL342]

The Lord Chancellor

During the passage of the Financial Services and Markets Bill, Ministers stated that the Rules for the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal would cover the circumstances in which tribunal hearings were not held in public. They also gave commitments that the tribunal would comply with best practice as laid down by the Council on Tribunals. The council's Model Rules favour, for tribunal proceedings, a presumption of publicity with provision for private hearings. This approach is followed in the procedure rules for the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal. These were laid before Parliament on 10 July 2001 after limited consultation which followed the terms of the Code of Practice on Written Consultation. A number of ministerial statements were made on publication by the Financial Services Authority of its decision notice. These statements did not specifically address procedures at the tribunal stage.