This document establishes the formal procedural requirements for public inquiries conducted under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act. The text is a statutory instrument issued by the British government to ensure administrative consistency and legal transparency in planning disputes. It outlines the obligations of the Secretary of State, local planning authorities, and appellants during the inquiry process.

Legal professionals and planning officials utilize this document as a foundational procedural reference for historical administrative law in Scotland. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which is characteristic of statutory instruments from this era.