Part 2: Courts, tribunals and coroners Chapter 2: Online procedure Section 26: Process for making Online Procedure Rules
This section describes the process for making Online Procedure Rules (which mirrors that for rules made by other rule committees). Before making or amending rules, the OPRC must hold a meeting (unless it is inexpedient to do so) whether in person or otherwise, and consult any appropriate persons, which allows the Committee to call on the expertise of non-committee members to inform discussion about any proposed rule changes. Any rules drafted by the Committee must be signed by at least half the members of the committee, where one is the chair, or a majority of the committee members in any other case, before being submitted to the Lord Chancellor who may allow or disallow the rules. Where a rule is disallowed, the Lord Chancellor, having appropriate regard for digitally excluded people, must give the Committee written reasons for doing so. Rules come into force on such a date as the Lord Chancellor decides and are to be contained in a statutory instrument subject to the negative resolution procedure.