Regulation 15 Procedure and evidence at hearing
At the beginning of the hearing of any proceedings the Tribunal shall, except where it considers it unnecessary to do so, explain the order of proceeding which it proposes to adopt.
The Tribunal shall conduct the hearing in such manner as it considers most suitable to the clarification and determination of the issues before it and generally to the just handling of the proceedings and, so far as appears to it appropriate, shall seek to avoid formality in its procedure.
The parties shall be heard in such order as the Tribunal shall determine and shall be entitled—
to give evidence,
to call witnesses,
to question any witnesses including other parties who give evidence, and
to address the Tribunal both on the evidence and generally on the subject matter of the proceedings.
In assessing the truth and weight of any evidence, the Tribunal may take account of its nature and source, and the manner in which it is given.
Evidence before the Tribunal may be given orally or, if the Tribunal so directs, by affidavit or a statement made or recorded in a document, but at any stage of the hearing the Tribunal may, on the application of any party or of its own motion, require the personal attendance as a witness of—
the maker of an affidavit, or
the maker of such a statement, or
in the case of an oral statement recorded in a document, the person by whom the statement was so recorded.
The Tribunal may receive evidence of any fact which appears to the Tribunal to be relevant to the subject matter of the proceedings notwithstanding that such evidence would be inadmissible in proceedings before a court of law in that part of the United Kingdom by reference to the law of which the proceedings before the Tribunal are to be determined, but, save in cases where claims for privilege are allowed (including, in proceedings in Scotland, claims for protection from disclosure by virtue of any rule of law relating to the confidentiality of communications), it shall not refuse to admit any evidence which would be admissible in such proceedings.
The Tribunal may require any witness to give evidence on oath or affirmation and for that purpose there may be administered an oath or affirmation in due form.