Part 8: Oversight arrangements Chapter 2: Other arrangements Section 242: Right of appeal from the Tribunal
Prior to this Act there was no domestic route of appeal from a decision or determination of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, with claimants having to pursue appeals to the European Court of Human Rights if they wish to challenge a decision. This section amends RIPA to introduce a domestic appeal route from decisions and determinations of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal on a point of law, to the Court of Appeal in England and Wales or the Court of Session. This section contains a regulation making power so that, with the consent of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Court of Appeal of Northern Ireland can be added to the Courts in which such appeals can be heard. Regulations will detail the criteria to be considered by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal when determining the relevant appellate court.
	Where there is a point of law, the decision on whether to grant permission to appeal will be taken by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in the first instance. If the Tribunal refuses to grant permission to appeal, this decision may be reviewed by the appeal court.
	The Tribunal or appellate court must not give permission to appeal on a point of law unless the appeal would raise an important point of principle or practice or they consider that there are other compelling reasons to grant permission to appeal, such as that it would be in the wider public interest.
	This section also amends RIPA to say that the Investigatory Powers Tribunal must notify all parties to proceedings when they have reached a decision or determination, including decisions on permission to appeal. There is an exception for circumstances where the Tribunal is prevented from doing so by its procedural rules, for example where the decision relates to closed proceedings.