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Iraq Committee of Inquiry

Volume 495: debated on Monday 6 July 2009

To ask the Prime Minister (1) by what method and in what form witnesses giving evidence to the Committee of Inquiry on Iraq will do so when giving evidence on a basis equivalent to evidence given under oath; and if he will make a statement; (283368)

(2) what provision is being made to meet the (a) per diem and (b) other expenses incurred by (i) right hon. Sir John Chilcot and (ii) other members of the Committee of Inquiry on Iraq in relation to their work on the inquiry;

(3) if he will direct the Committee of Inquiry on Iraq to publish a list of those Privy Council members serving on the Committee who attend each closed session of the inquiry;

(4) if he will make it his policy that a verbatim record of public sessions of the Chilcot Inquiry is published daily;

(5) what plans there are to appoint legal counsel to support the Chilcot Inquiry into Iraq;

(6) whether those invited to serve on the Committee of Inquiry into Iraq were given guidance prior to accepting on the (a) likely time commitment involved and (b) duration of the inquiry; and if he will make a statement;

(7) whether witnesses to the Chilcot Inquiry into Iraq will be permitted legal representation; and if he will make a statement;

(8) who the secretary to the Chilcot Committee of Inquiry into Iraq will be.

I refer my hon. Friend to my letter of 17 June 2009 to the right hon. Sir John Chilcot GCB and to his reply of 21 June 2009. Copies of both have been placed in the Libraries of the House. As Chairman, Sir John, in consultation with the Inquiry Committee members, will take decisions on how the inquiry conducts its work. The costs of the inquiry will be met by the Government. The secretary to the inquiry will be Ms Margaret Aldred CB CBE, who is a senior Cabinet Office official.