Hutton defuses row over late submission

LORD HUTTON last night cleared the British Government of trying to influence his inquiry into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly by submitting a late evidence statement.

After 24 hours of speculation, Lord Hutton quashed the suggestion by confirming the BBC, its reporter Andrew Gilligan, and Dr Kelly's family had all made similar submissions.

Lord Hutton said they had been publicly invited to do so by the inquiry's own counsel James Dingemans QC, and there was nothing "surprising or unexpected or of special significance in the making of these written submissions", and these submissions may be published after his own report was in the public domain. Yesterday's statement taking the pressure off No 10 reflected the heightened political tension ahead of the report's publication. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Tory leader Michael Howard were involved in fierce Commons clashes over Mr Blair's role in the naming of Dr Kelly as the source behind the BBC's claim that the Government 'sexed up' its Iraq weapons dossier. Mr Blair insisted he stood by the "totality" of what he told reporters on board a plane on July 22 four days after Dr Kelly's body was discovered when he said he had "emphatically not" authorised the leaking or naming of the weapons expert.

Mr Blair had added it was a different question for the Government to give confirmation to reporters once Dr Kelly's name was already in the public domain.

Mr Howard hit back by saying Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Kevin Tebbit had told the Hutton inquiry the decision to disclose Dr Kelly's name was made at a meeting Mr Blair had chaired. "Either the Permanent Secretary or the Prime Minister is not telling the truth," said Mr Howard.

Mr Blair replied: "I stand by the totality of what I said at that time but in relation to this issue and all the other issues, the Hutton inquiry is going to report shortly. I suggest you wait for that."

The Prime Minister said "of course" the doctrine, that if a minister was shown to have lied to the Commons he should resign, applied to him "as it applies to all ministers".

Yesterday's bad-tempered exchanges ended with both Mr Blair and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy accusing the Tories of pre-judging Lord Hutton's report. "Mr Howard seems prepared to approach this serious matter with a closed mind and an open mouth," said Mr Kennedy

In his statement exonerating the Government, Lord Hutton said: "It has always been public knowledge that after the closing oral statements by their counsel all the parties at the Inquiry were given the opportunity to submit further written submissions.

"The BBC, Mr Andrew Gilligan, the Kelly family, as well as the Government, availed themselves of the opportunity to submit further written submissions, and the further written submissions of each party were sent to all the other parties.

"Therefore, contrary to the suggestions in some of the press reports today, there was nothing surprising or unexpected or of special significance in the making of these written submissions."

Lord Hutton said he had been minded to publish these submissions on the inquiry's website but disclosed that those who had given oral evidence argued "that publication would encourage a trial of various individuals (against whom no criticism might be made in the report) by the media and that this would be unfair".

His statement gave no clue as to when the eagerly-awaited report would be published.