Streets Of London: Hutton Inquiry Resumed

Preview

The Hutton Inquiry has resumed calling witness’ after a one-week break. Lord Hutton and council used this week break to review the evidence that has been presented to the inquiry and prepare for the coming next two weeks.

Many witnesses will be recalled to answer further questions in an effort to get to the truth. The Inquiry counsel, Mr James Dingleman, said that witness would be asked to answer criticisms of their conduct. He also made the extraordinary statement that any witness will be held in the box till they answered. He said, “If it appeared anyone was playing for lunch the session could be extended.

Mr. Dingleman said that over the last week, each of the main players had been sent a letter outlining criticisms levelled against them and were asked to reply whether they accepted or rejected them.

The re-examined witness’ could face up to four sets of lawyers when they take the stand again. They will counsel acting for The Kelly Family, The BBC, The Hutton Inquiry and the Government.

The Timetable of the Witness' in the Inquiry:

Monday the 15th - Greg Dykes, Chairman BBC
- Sir Richard Dearlove, Head of MI6
- Sir Joe French, Former Head of the DIS
- Tony Cragg, Former Deputy Head of the DIS

Tuesday the 16th - Martin Howard , Deputy Chief MI6

Wednesday the 17th - Andrew Gilligan, BBC Reported
- Richard Sambrook, Head of News, BBC

Thursday the 18th - Richard Hatfield, MOD Personnel Director
- Pamela Teare, MOD Director of Communications
- Kevin Tebbit, MOD Permanent Secretary

Monday the 22nd - Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence
- Alistair Campbell, Outgoing Downing Street Communications Director

Tuesday the 23rd - Tom Kelly, Prime Ministers Official Spokesman
- Godric Smith, Prime Ministers Official Spokesman
- John Scarlett, Govt. Intelligence Advisor
- Assistant Chief Constable Michael Page, Thames Valley Police
- Gavyn Davies, BBC Chairman

Wednesday the 24th - Patrick Lamb, Deputy Head of counter proliferation at the FCO
- Dr Bryan Wells, Dr. Kelly’s boss at the MOD
- James Harrison, Deputy Director of counter proliferation at the MOD
- Wing Commander James Clark, former colleague of Dr. Kelly.

The witness that can expect to have the hardest time being re-examined are Geoff Hoon, Andrew Gilligan, Alistair Campbell and the MOD staff in personal and communications.

Tony Blair is not scheduled to be cross-examined. It has not be discussed whether his name will be added later , if the evidence brought up in these new examination demands it.

Mr Dingleman also set out the 15 key issues that the Inquiry is still concerned in his opening statement. These are the issues that the Inquiry will be pursuing and which there remains ambiguity.

The 15 Key Issues are:

1: How was the dossier of 24 September 2002 prepared and who was responsible for drafting it?

2: What part did Dr Kelly play in the preparation of the dossier?

3: What knowledge did Dr Kelly have of the contents of the dossier and of earlier drafts of it?

4: Were the prime minister, his communications chief Alastair Campbell and others in Number 10 responsible for intelligence being set out in the dossier, which was incorrect or misleading, or to which improper emphasis was given?

5: What was said by Dr Kelly to BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan on 22 May 2003?

6: Did Mr Gilligan accurately report what was said by Dr Kelly to him in his broadcast on 29 May and in the Mail on Sunday on 1 June.

7: Whether or not the matters reported by Mr Gilligan were in fact true.

8: The response and complaints made by the Government to the BBC relating to the broadcast on 29 May.

9: The BBC reaction to those complaints.

10: The decisions and the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence and the Government after Dr Kelly informed his line manager in the MoD that he had spoken to Mr Gilligan on 22 May.

11: The circumstances in which a press statement was released by the MoD on 8 July 2003 and the question and answer material deployed in support of it. This also involves identifying what Dr Kelly was told about this process and whether he agreed or not.

12: Whether there was an attempt in Government dealings with the media to down play Dr Kelly's importance as a civil servant and his role in the production of the dossier, which did not reflect reality but was designed to assist in the dispute with the BBC.

13: The circumstances leading to Dr Kelly's giving of evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Intelligence and Security Committee.

14: How Dr Kelly died and if it was clear he died by his own hand.

15: If Dr Kelly died by his own hand, the matters that were likely to have led him to take his own life.

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