law: Arbitration Act 1940
  Section 24
  Hearings and Written Proceedings
  (1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties,
  
  the arbitral tribunal shall decide whether to hold oral hearings for the
  
  presentation of evidence or for oral argument, or whether the proceedings shall
  
  be conducted on the basis of documents and other  materials : 
  
  
  Provided that the arbitral tribunal shall hold
  
  oral hearings, at an appropriate stage of the proceedings, on a request by a
  
  party, unless the parties have agreed that no oral hearing shall be held.
  (2) The parties shall be given sufficient
  
  advance notice of any hearing and of any meeting of the arbitral tribunal for
  
  the purposes of inspection of documents, goods or other property.
  (3) All statements, documents or other
  
  information supplied to, or applications made to the arbitral tribunal by one
  
  party shall be communicated to the other party; and any expert report or
  
  evidentiary document on which the arbitral tribunal may rely in making its
  
  decision shall be communicated to the parties.