Correspondence between the Committee and
the Ministry of Defence
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Geoffrey
Hoon, Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence, dated 10 July 2003
The Foreign Affairs Committee wishes to receive
an answer to the following question.
— On what date, and at what time, did
the meeting take place between Dr David Kelly and Mr Andrew Gilligan
at which the conversation referred to in the MoD statement of
9 July took place?
You will wish to know that the Clerk is writing
to Dr Kelly today, inviting him, to appear before the Committee
to give oral evidence in public on Tuesday 15 July, on questions
directly relevant to the Committee's Report published earlier
this week, arising from the MoD statement of 9 July.
I am copying this letter to Jack Straw and to
Bruce George. I would be obliged if you were to reply to it not
later than 4 o'clock tomorrow, 11 July.
Donald Anderson
Chairman
cc:
Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Rt Hon Bruce George MP
Letter from the Clerk to Dr David Kelly,
Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Adviser to Proliferation and
Arms Control Secretariat, Ministry of Defence, dated 10 July 2003
The Foreign Affairs Committee wishes to hear
oral evidence from you in public at 3 o'clock on Tuesday 15 July,
to answer questions directly relevant to the Committee's Report
published earlier this week, arising from the MoD statement of
9 July.
I would be obliged if you were to reply to this
letter not later than 4 o'clock tomorrow, 11 July.
Steve Priestley
Clerk of the Committee
Letter from Geoffrey Hoon, Secretary of
State for Defence, to the Chairman of the Committee, dated 11
July 2003
Thank you for your letter of 10 July about Dr
David Kelly.
I understand that Dr Kelly met Mr Gilligan on
22 May at about 1700 at the Charing Cross Hotel.
You also ask that Dr Kelly appears before the
FAC on Tuesday 15 July at 1500. As you know, the Government has
already suggested that the Intelligence and Security Committee
(ISC) might wish to interview Dr Kelly as part of their continuing
inquiry. (A copy of the MOD's press statement of 8 July is attached
for convenience). The Chairman of the ISC has now asked that Dr
Kelly appears before them, also on next Tuesday, at 1230 for about
45 minutes. I am writing to Ann Taylor today agreeing to this
request.
Although the FAC has now completed its own inquiry,
I can understand why you also wish to see Dr Kelly. I am prepared
to agree to this on the clear understanding that Dr Kelly will
be questioned only on those matters which are directly relevant
to the evidence that you were given by Andrew Gilligan, and not
on the wider issue of Iraqi WMD and the preparation of the Dossier.
Dr Kelly was not involved in the process of drawing up the intelligence
parts of the Dossier.
As I noted above, Dr Kelly will have appeared
earlier the same day before the ISC. I hope that you will bear
this in mind and not detain him for longer than about the same
period of time indicated by the ISC. As he is not used to this
degree of public exposure, Dr Kelly has asked if he could be accompanied
by a colleague. MOD officials will discuss this further with the
Clerk.
I should be grateful it you could confirm that
you are content to proceed on this basis.
Geoffrey Hoon
Approved by the Defence Secretary and signed in his
absence by Peter Watkins, Private Secretary
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Geoffrey
Hoon, Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence, dated 14 July 2003
Thank you for your letter of Friday, confirming
the attendance of Dr David Kelly before the Committee tomorrow
and answering the Committee's questions about the meeting between
Dr Kelly and Andrew Gilligan.
I share your clear understanding of the scope
and duration of the questioning to which Dr Kelly will be subject,
and will draw it to the attention of my colleagues on the Committee.
Donald Anderson
Chairman
Letter from the Clerk to Mr Peter Watkins,
Private Secretary to the Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence,
dated 16 July 2003
At his appearance yesterday before the Foreign
Affairs Committee, Dr David Kelly was asked to supply a list of
journalists with whom he has had contact. He pointed out that
he will be unable to answer this question immediately, because
he does not at present have access to his personal diaries. The
Committee accepted that its question should be pursued through
MoD.
I would be grateful to receive the information
for which the Committee has asked as soon as you are able to supply
it, accepting that it may be necessary to consult the transcript
in order to confirm exactly what was sought. I will try to ensure
you receive a copy of the transcript as soon as possible after
it has been received in this office, which I expect to be either
later today or early tomorrow.
Steve Priestley
Clerk of the Committee
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