ABSTRACT
Whether a tribunal operates effectively will necessarily depend on its membership and their ability to deal with the powers and procedures in question. The tribunal system permits the appointment of members by the relevant minister in the government department concerned. It has been seen previously that, with the exception of Social Security Appeal Tribunals, in some instances the relevant minister is required to appoint tribunal chairmen from a panel maintained by the Lord Chancellor, which is usually an indication that such chairmen are to be legally qualified. Legal qualifications are regarded as being particularly relevant for the chairmen of appellate tribunals. As far as general tribunal membership is concerned, the relevant statute constituting the tribunal will usually specify desirable qualifications. In practice, most tribunals comprise a chairman and two other lay members with assistance from a clerk.
