{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-rules-2026/rule-49",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-rules-2026/rule-49.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2026/882",
  "legislation_title": "The Clergy Conduct Rules 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-rules-2026",
  "path": "rule/49",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "49",
  "heading": "Witness statements for use at hearing",
  "text": "(1) This rule applies to a witness statement intended for use in proceedings before the tribunal or court to which a complaint of serious misconduct has been referred.\n(2) The witness statement must be signed by the person making it and may not include evidence which the person would not be allowed to give orally.\n(3) The witness statement must indicate—\n(a) which matters come from the witness’s own knowledge and which are matters of information or belief, and\n(b) in the case of a matter of information or belief, the source of that information or belief.\n(4) The witness statement must include at the end a declaration of truth signed and dated by the witness and in the following form—\n“I believe that the contents of this witness statement are true.”\n(5) A party wishing to rely on the witness statement in a hearing on the complaint must call the witness to give oral evidence at the hearing unless—\n(a) the parties agree that the witness statement may be put in evidence,\n(b) the witness has died or is too ill to attend, or\n(c) the registrar of tribunals or the Chair of the tribunal or court directs otherwise.\n(6) Where the witness is called to give oral evidence, the witness statement of that witness stands as the witness’s evidence in chief unless the Chair directs otherwise.\n(7) The witness, when giving oral evidence, may with the permission of the Chair—\n(a) amplify the witness statement;\n(b) give evidence on a matter which has arisen since the witness statement was made.\n(8) If a party exchanges the witness statement with another party but does not call the witness to give oral evidence at the hearing or put the statement in evidence without calling the witness, the other party may put the witness statement in evidence without calling the witness to give oral evidence.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/882/rule/49",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T20:56:54.526438+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}