10.—(1) Any hearing of an originating application shall be heard by a tribunal composed in accordance with section 4(1) and (2) of the 1996 Act.
(2) Any hearing of or in connection with an originating application shall take place in public.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a tribunal may sit in private for the purpose of hearing evidence from any person which in the opinion of the tribunal is likely to consist of—
(a)information which he could not disclose without contravening a prohibition imposed by or by virtue of any enactment, or
(b)information which has been communicated to him in confidence, or which he has otherwise obtained in consequence of the confidence reposed in him by another person, or
(c)information the disclosure of which would, for reasons other than its effect on negotiations with respect to any of the matters mentioned in section 178(2) of the 1992 Act, cause substantial injury to any undertaking of his or any undertaking in which he works.
(4) A member of the Council on Tribunals or of its Scottish Committee shall be entitled to attend any hearing taking place in private in his capacity as a member.
(5) If a party wishes to submit representations in writing for consideration by a tribunal at the hearing of the originating application he shall present his representations to the Secretary not less than 7 days before the hearing and shall at the same time send a copy to each other party.
(6) The tribunal may, if it considers it appropriate, consider representations in writing which have been submitted to the Secretary less than 7 days before the hearing.
(7) The Secretary of State if he so elects shall be entitled to appear as if he were a party and be heard at any hearing of or in connection with an originating application in proceedings which may involve a payment out of the National Insurance Fund, and in that event he shall be treated for the purposes of these rules as if he were a party.