The Clergy Conduct Rules 2026

Schedule 2 Royal Peculiars

Rule 114 Jurisdiction 1 (1) The CCM does not apply to an allegation of misconduct against a clerk in Holy Orders who holds office in a Royal Peculiar unless and until the relevant assessor decides, in accordance with the statutes of the Royal Peculiar, that the alleged misconduct is likely to call into question the clerk’s fitness to exercise ministry. (2) If the relevant assessor makes the decision referred to in sub-paragraph (1), the allegation of misconduct is to be treated for the purposes of the CCM and these Rules as having been made in the form of a complaint and allocated as a complaint of serious misconduct; and a reference in this Schedule to a complaint under this Schedule is to be read accordingly. (3) The CCM and these Rules have effect accordingly; and for that purpose— (a) a reference to the responsible bishop is (subject to paragraph 7(1)) to be read as a reference to the person to whom an allegation of misconduct is required to be made under the statutes of the Royal Peculiar concerned, (b) a reference to the Vicar-General’s court or a bishop’s disciplinary tribunal is to be read as a reference to a disciplinary tribunal under paragraph 3, (c) a reference to the relevant officer is to be read as a reference to the President of Tribunals, (d) a reference to the Code of Practice is to be read as a reference to guidance prepared by the relevant assessor about the operation of the system for dealing with allegations of misconduct against clerks in Holy Orders who hold office in the Royal Peculiar, and (e) the other modifications set out in this Schedule are to apply. (4) In this Schedule, “the relevant assessor”, in relation to a Royal Peculiar, means the person who, under the Royal Peculiar’s statutes, has responsibility for deciding how to deal with allegations of misconduct against clerks in Holy Orders who hold office in the Royal Peculiar. (5) A reference in this Schedule to the statutes of a Royal Peculiar also includes a reference to— (a) any other instrument relating to the governance of the Royal Peculiar, and (b) any guidance prepared by the relevant assessor about the operation of the system for dealing with allegations of misconduct against clerks in Holy Orders who hold office in the Royal Peculiar. Investigation 2 In section 27 of the CCM (complaint of serious misconduct), subsection (9) has effect as if for paragraphs (a) and (b) there were substituted the following— (a) the President must refer the complaint to the relevant assessor, and (b) the allegations of misconduct in the complaint are to be dealt with under the statutes of the Royal Peculiar concerned. Disciplinary tribunal 3 (1) A disciplinary tribunal to which a complaint is referred under section 27 (5) of the CCM consists of three persons— (a) one of whom serves as the Chair (see sub-paragraph (2)), (b) one of whom is a clerk in Holy Orders appointed by the President of Tribunals from the Royal Peculiars panel (see paragraph 4), and (c) one of whom is a lay person appointed by the President of Tribunals from that panel. (2) The Chair of the disciplinary tribunal is a person appointed by the President of Tribunals who— (a) satisfies the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a 7-year basis (see section 10 (2) (d) and (6) of the CCM), or (b) holds or has held high judicial office or the office of circuit judge. (3) The President of Tribunals may not make an appointment under sub-paragraph (1)(b) or (c) of a person who was appointed to the Royal Peculiars panel by the dean of the Royal Peculiar in which the person who is subject to complaint holds office. (4) The Chair of the disciplinary tribunal must give directions for how the complaint is to proceed. Royal Peculiars panel 4 (1) All the persons who hold office as the dean of a Royal Peculiar must jointly maintain a list, known as “the Royal Peculiars panel”, of persons suitable for appointment as a member of a disciplinary tribunal under paragraph 3. (2) The Royal Peculiars panel consists of the persons nominated under sub-paragraph (3). (3) The dean of each Royal Peculiar must nominate for inclusion on the Royal Peculiars panel— (a) two clerks in Holy Orders, and (b) two lay persons, each of whom is an actual communicant. Suspension 5 Section 35 of the CCM (restriction order) does not apply to a clerk in Holy Orders subject to a complaint under this Schedule; and sections 34 and 36 of the CCM (suspension) are to be read as if references to section 35 were omitted. Penalties 6 Sections 37 to 40 of the CCM (penalties etc.) apply to a finding or admission of a complaint under this Schedule that a clerk in Holy Orders has committed misconduct likely to call into question the clerk’s fitness to exercise ministry as they apply to a finding or admission of serious misconduct. Deposition from Holy Orders 7 (1) Section 41 of the CCM (deposition of priest or deacon) has effect as if the references to the responsible bishop were references to the bishop of the diocese in which the Royal Peculiar is treated by section 68 (6) of the CCM as situated. (2) Part 16 of these Rules applies to a complaint under this Schedule with such modifications as are necessary or appropriate in consequence of this paragraph. Conviction for offence etc: power to impose penalty etc 8 In the application of section 46 of the CCM (conviction for offence etc) to a clerk in Holy Orders who holds office in a Royal Peculiar, the power under that section is exercisable by the President of Tribunals. Appeal and review 9 (1) Section 50 of the CCM (review by President of Tribunals on complaint) applies to a complaint under this Schedule; and for that purpose— (a) subsection (1) applies as if it included a reference to a decision taken by the relevant assessor that the alleged misconduct is not likely to call into question the fitness of the clerk in Holy Orders to exercise ministry, and (b) subsection (2) applies as if it included a reference to a dismissal by the relevant assessor of the alleged misconduct on the grounds that it is vexatious or totally without merit. (2) Section 51 of the CCM (review by President of Tribunals of penalty on conviction etc) applies to a clerk in Holy Orders on whom a penalty has been imposed under section 46 of the CCM (as modified by paragraph 8) as if the clerk were an archbishop on whom a penalty had been imposed under that section. (3) Section 52 (1) to (4) of the CCM (appeal etc to court) applies to a complaint under this Schedule. (4) Section 53 of the CCM (permission to appeal) applies to an appeal or application for review under section 52 of the CCM (as it is applied by sub-paragraph (3)); and for that purpose, subsections (1) (a) and (3) are to be ignored. (5) Part 20 of these Rules applies to a complaint under this Schedule with such modifications as are necessary or appropriate in consequence of this paragraph and paragraph 10. Composition of appeal panel 10 (1) An appeal or application for review under the CCM as modified by paragraph 9 of this Schedule must be made to a panel that consists of— (a) the Dean of the Arches and Auditor, (b) one clerk in Holy Orders appointed by the President of Tribunals from the Royal Peculiars panel, and (c) one lay person appointed by the President of Tribunals from that panel. (2) The President of Tribunals may not make an appointment under sub-paragraph (1)(b) or (c) of a person who was appointed to the Royal Peculiars panel by the dean of the Royal Peculiar in which the person who is subject to the complaint holds office.