s 340E Further provision about persons and panels deciding service complaints etc
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations— (a) provide that persons of a specified description may not be appointed by virtue of section 340C(1)(a) or 340D(2)(d) (whether or not as part of a panel); (b) require the Defence Council, in relation to any service complaint of a specified description, to act by virtue of section 340C(1)(a) or 340D(2)(d) so as to appoint— (i) a person who is independent, or of a specified description, or both; (ii) a panel that satisfies one or more of the requirements listed in subsection (2). (2) Those requirements are— (a) all of the members of the panel must be independent; (b) the panel must include at least a specified number or proportion of independent members; (c) the panel must include a person of a specified description. (3) Where a requirement within subsection (2)(b) has effect, the regulations may also require specified functions of the panel to be exercised by the independent members of the panel. (4) For the purposes of this section, a person (including a member of a panel) is independent if the person— (a) is not a member of the regular or reserve forces or employed in the civil service of the State, and (b) is included in a list maintained for the purposes of this section by the Secretary of State. (5) In this section, “ specified ” means specified in the regulations.