Additional Support Needs Tribunals set for Scottish Tribunals transfer

Scotland's specialist tribunals dealing with appeals against education authority decisions relating to educational support, are to be transferred into the Scottish Tribunals framework under regulations now being consulted on by Scottish ministers.

The functions and members of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (ASNTS) will transfer into the Scottish Tribunals system on 30 November 2017, becoming part of the Health & Education Chamber. The ASNTS as it presently stands will then be abolished.

Consultation is now running on the regulations providing for the transfer, the composition of and procedure rules for the new chamber, and eligibility for ordiinary membership of the chamber.

The policy intent is for the ASNTS to transfer into the Scottish Tribunals structure with their existing membership and functions in so far as practicable. First instance decisions will be heard in the First-tier Tribunal Health & Education Chamber with onward appeal to the Upper Tribunal.

The draft regulations propose that the President of the ASNTS transfers in as Chamber President of the First-tier Tribunal Health & Education Chamber. Conveners of the ASNTS will transfer in as legal members of the First-tier Tribunal. Other members of the ASNTS will transfer in as ordinary members of the First-tier Tribunal with allocation to the Health & Education Chamber.

Click here to access the consultation. The deadline for responses is 1 August 2017.