Article 40 Exclusion of public
Subject to the provisions of this rule, any hearing by the appellate authority shall take place in public.
Where the appellate authority is considering an allegation referred to in paragraph 6(1) of Schedule 4 to the 1999 Act in accordance with paragraph 6(2) of that Schedule, all members of the public shall be excluded from that hearing.
Subject to paragraph (4), the appellate authority may exclude any member of the public or members of the public generally from any hearing or from any part of a hearing where—
in the opinion of that authority, it is necessary in the interests of morals, public order or national security;
in the opinion of that authority, the interests of minors or the protection of the private life of the parties so require; or
in special circumstances publicity would prejudice the interests of justice, but only to the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of that authority.
Nothing in this rule shall prevent a member of the Council on Tribunals or of its Scottish Committee from attending a hearing in that capacity.