Appeal Advisory Committees
128.—(1)  For the purposes of enabling Appeal Advisory Committees to be constituted under section 127, the Minister must appoint a panel (called in this Part the Appeal Advisory Panel) comprising such members from the financial services industry and the public and private sectors as the Minister may appoint.
(2)  A member of the Appeal Advisory Panel is appointed for a term of not more than 2 years and is eligible for re-appointment.
[23/2003]
(3)  An Appeal Advisory Committee has the power, in the exercise of its functions, to inquire into any matter or thing related to the financial services industry and, for this purpose, may summon any person to give evidence on oath or affirmation or produce any document or material necessary for the purpose of the inquiry.
(4)  Nothing in subsection (3) compels the production by an advocate and solicitor of a document or other material containing any privileged communication made by or to him or her in that capacity or authorise the taking of any such document or other material which is in his or her possession.
[41/2001]
(5)  An advocate and solicitor who refuses to produce any document or other material referred to in subsection (4) must nevertheless give the name and address (if he or she knows them) of the person to whom, or by or on behalf of whom, the privileged communication was made.
(6)  For the purposes of this Act, every member of an Appeal Advisory Committee —
(a)is deemed to be a public servant for the purposes of the Penal Code 1871; and
(b)in case of any suit or other legal proceedings brought against him or her for any act done or omitted to be done in the execution of his or her duty under this Part, has the like protection and privileges as are by law given to a Judge in the execution of his or her office.
(7)  Every Appeal Advisory Committee must have regard to the interest of the public, the protection of policy owners and the safeguarding of sources of information.
(8)  Subject to the provisions of this Part, an Appeal Advisory Committee may regulate its own procedure and is not bound by the rules of evidence.
[49H