Inquiry Announcements and Notices

The second phase of the Inquiry oral hearings, which began on 22 September 2009, was brought to a close by the Chairman on 27 November 2009 following closing statements by Core Participants. The Inquiry’s oral hearings are now at an end.

During this phase of the hearings, the Inquiry heard evidence about opinions regarding the various fingermarks with which the Inquiry is concerned, and about practices and procedures for the examination of fingerprints.

The daily updates from the hearings, which are in the progress section of this website, give an overview of what happened when.

Evidence presented to the Inquiry is in the “hearings and evidence” section of this website, along with other material such as the opening statements from the Chairman and Inquiry counsel, and the closing statements from core participants’ representatives. The oral evidence people gave is in the transcripts part of the “hearings and evidence” section. The “witnesses” page (under “evidence”) lists all the witnesses and there is a separate page for each witness with links to the relevant transcript(s), his or her statement or report, and relevant documents.

The Inquiry now enters a new phase of work in which the Chairman will consider the evidence and begin drafting his report. The Chairman intends to give any individual or organisation who might be the subject of criticism in the report an opportunity to respond to that potential criticism. Where he plans to make recommendations, he also intends to give any individual or organisation likely to be affected by those recommendations an opportunity to comment on them. It will therefore be some time before the Inquiry Report is finalised and published.

Inquiry hearings at Maryhill are continuing. Updates are posted daily on the progress section of the website.

Following oral evidence regarding the opinions expressed about various fingermarks with which the Inquiry is concerned, the Inquiry will go on to hear evidence about practice and procedures from the Scottish Police Services Authority, the Crown Office and others.

The Inquiry Chairman has excused Shirley McKie from giving oral evidence on medical grounds. The full text of his decision is here. (PDF, 42Kb)

The scheduled hearing days in the next two weeks are:

Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 November: 9.30 am to 4 pm

Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 November: 9.30 am to 4 pm

Information about hearing days in the week beginning 23 November will follow.

The Inquiry’s hearings at Maryhill will conclude on Friday 27 November.

Inquiry hearings resume on Tuesday 22 September 2009 at 10am in Maryhill Community Central Hall, 304 Maryhill Road, Glasgow, G20 7YE.

Mr Gerry Moynihan QC, Senior Counsel to the Inquiry, will outline the anticipated duration and structure of this series of hearings and also the nature of the comparative exercise in which the Inquiry has been engaged over the summer, in a short introductory statement. The Inquiry will then move to the first of the next series of witnesses to give oral evidence.

The main focus for the first few weeks of these hearings will be evidence concerning opinions about various fingermarks with which the Inquiry is concerned.

On Monday 21 September, the Inquiry intends to publish a substantial number of relevant documents on the evidence pages of the website, and documents will continue to be added as the hearings proceed.

More information is in a letter to core participants issues on 16 September.  Text of Letter (PDF, 54.5Kb)

The Inquiry normally sits from 10am on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will be no hearing on Friday 25 September.

More information about the venue and timings is available here.

The Chairman has today decided not to go ahead with hearings provisionally scheduled for the last two weeks of August. Inquiry hearings will begin again on Tuesday 22 September at 10am in Maryhill Community Central Hall, Glasgow.

A letter issued to core participants today about the August and September hearings.

Text of letter (PDF, 511Kb)

The Inquiry held hearings in Glasgow between 2 June and 10 July. Oral evidence was taken from 37 witnesses. A daily progress report indicating who was giving evidence was published in the progress section of the website.

A list of witnesses whose evidence has been taken so far can be found in the witnesses part of the hearings and evidence section of the website. The witness statements of those who have given oral evidence to the Inquiry are also to be found there, along with the statements of 8 witnesses whose evidence was based on their written statement to the Inquiry.

Documents associated with the evidence taken so far are gradually being added to the documents part of the hearings and evidence section of the website. Where a witness referred to a document in his or her witness statement to the Inquiry the document is also listed on the page for that witness.

Hearings now normally start at 10am.

It is intended that Inquiry hearings will begin again on Tuesday 18 August.

A letter issued to core participants today about the August and September hearings and preparation for them.

Text of letter (PDF, 47Kb)

In adjourning the hearings on 10 July Sir Anthony Campbell, the Inquiry Chairman, said that if there were emerging issues that any of the core participants, or indeed anyone else, thought the Inquiry should be exploring he, Sir Anthony, would be grateful if that could be made known to Inquiry Counsel.  

Anyone who wishes to raise any such emerging issue should contact the Inquiry team as soon as possible – contact details are here.

The Inquiry’s main hearings got underway in Glasgow today, with an opening statement by Senior Counsel to the Inquiry, Gerry Moynihan QC.

Mr Moynihan said that it would be possible to begin the Inquiry with a short statement as to the issues raised by the material that the Inquiry had received and to proceed immediately to hear the evidence. However, in common with the precedent set in at least one other prominent public inquiry, he proposed to take a radically different course and to review and in part analyse the evidence that the Inquiry had so far received.

He indicated that he had adopted this course primarily because he was aware that the inquiry had secured a substantial volume of material and it was not the intention to rehearse all the evidence at the public hearings, but rather to focus on discrete parts of the controversy. He considered that without an overall analysis it might be difficult for those not directly involved in the hearings to follow the evidence and to understand where it falls into the overall picture. 

He said that his statement therefore seeks to paint the general picture and places the contribution of individual witness or documents in context.

Mr Moynihan emphasised that the opening statement reflects the analysis carried out by Counsel and not by the Chairman, and that the statement does not seek to reach conclusions in relation to the various point in controversy. That, he emphasised, is a matter for the Chairman in due course.

After an opening chapter dealing with the law and practice in relation to fingerprint evidence in general Mr Moynihan began a chronological narration of the sequence of events highlighting the specific issues that, in counsel to the inquiry’s view, require to be resolved by the Chairman, and the evidence available on the point.

In introducing today’s proceedings, the Chairman, Sir Anthony Campbell indicated that daily sittings are currently expected to be from 10.15am to 4pm Tuesdays to Thursdays, and 10.15am to 3pm on Fridays with a lunch break from 1pm to 1.50pm.  The current programme of hearings is expected to continue until 10 July, and to resume in late August.

Counsel’s statement will continue tomorrow Wednesday and will be available on the Inquiry website once delivered.  The transcript of today’s proceedings will be on the website later today.

The Inquiry Chairman, Sir Anthony Campbell, will open the Inquiry hearings at 10.30 am on Tuesday 2 June in Maryhill Community Central Hall, Glasgow.

Photography and filming will be permitted during the Chairman’s introductory remarks.

The Chairman has directed that, after a short break to allow broadcasters to remove their equipment, Senior Counsel to the Inquiry will make an opening statement, and that, after that, an opportunity to make an opening statement if they wish will be given to the legal representatives of core participants, and to any core participant who is unrepresented.

Counsel to the Inquiry’s opening statement will include a public presentation of the material that the Inquiry has collected. The statement is expected to extend into Wednesday.

Any submissions to the Chairman will be taken following Senior Counsel’s opening statement and any other opening statements.

It is expected that the Inquiry will sit on Tuesday 2nd, Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June for these purposes.The Chairman intends to begin hearing oral evidence at 10.15am on Tuesday 9th June.

In preparation for the Inquiry hearings, the Inquiry team has issued material to core participants, on a confidential basis. The material includes witness statements given to the Inquiry, documents received by the Inquiry and the first parts of an analysis prepared by Inquiry counsel. The analysis is a draft and will be revised as preparations proceed.

The analysis is produced to core participants for comment with two objectives in mind:

1. to ensure that the inquiry team has properly identified and fully investigated all lines of inquiry relevant to the terms of reference; and

2. to identify those witnesses who will require to give oral evidence and the issues that will require to be raised with them.

The issue of this first tranche of material has been delayed to allow more time for statements to be taken and finalised. More material will gradually be released to core participants as it becomes available. A number of weeks are now needed for the Inquiry team and core participants to prepare for the hearings. The Chairman has therefore decided to postpone the start of the hearings from 19 May to 2 June.

The Inquiry team earlier this month updated core participants on progress. The task of meeting with a large number of witnesses to obtain a statement of their evidence is well advanced, and continuing, as the information gathered so far is assimilated. A large volume of material has been received from a variety of sources and much progress has been made in organising and analysing this material. That in turn leads to the identification of other information and material that is needed. The Inquiry appreciates parties’ co-operation with requests for further documentary and other information, which often require to be made at relatively short notice in order to keep up the pace of the investigations.

Dr Bleay of the Home Office Scientific Development Branch is in the course of carrying out the tasks identified in the Chairman’s decision of 3 February. Following that decision the Chairman received further submissions concerning Professor Champod and Inquiry experts generally and a letter issued to core participants on 17 March about that.

Text of letter (PDF, 54Kb)

The Chairman’s Decision on an issue which arose concerning the position of senior counsel to the Inquiry was sent to core participants on 17 March and is available here.

The Inquiry this week intimated to core participants two decisions of the Chairman - one about specialist assistance for the Inquiry and the other about the designation of an additional core participant - and gave an update on progress and indicative timings for Inquiry hearings which will be held in Maryhill Community Central Hall, Glasgow.

Text of letter (PDF, 59Kb) 

The broad issues, within the Inquiry's terms of reference, that will be considered are:

1. Fingerprints: the identification and verification of the marks labelled Y7, QI2, QD2 and XF.
2. The decision to prosecute Shirley McKie.
3. The response of the Scottish Criminal Record Office and its successor bodies to the acquittal of Shirley McKie.
4. Fingerprint procedures in the Scottish Criminal Record Office and its successor bodies.
5. Training and qualification of fingerprint examiners in Scotland, and presentation of fingerprint evidence in Scottish court proceedings.
6. Research regarding the current status of fingerprinting as a forensic science, and possible causes of error.

The issues will be kept under review as the Inquiry proceeds.

The Inquiry team will now begin the process of gathering statements from witnesses. These will be made available to core participants in advance of the hearings and will form part of the witnesses’ evidence. If a witness is required to give oral evidence, this will be given under oath and Counsel will have the opportunity to question them at the evidence hearings. With the Chairman's approval, core participants and others will also have the opportunity to question witnesses.

Note: this announcement is taken from the transcript of proceedings, the full text of which is available here. 

A Procedural Hearing of The Fingerprint Inquiry will be held on the morning of Friday 21 November 2008 in the Exhibition Hall, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall commencing at 10.30 a.m. The hearing will progress decisions about the issues that the Inquiry will examine and the way in which it will be conducted.  The hearing will be open to the public and the venue will be open from 9.30 a.m.

Maps and Directions to the Royal Concert Hall are available within the Inquiry Announcement of 7 October 2008. 

The Inquiry held its Initial Hearing in Glasgow on the morning of Monday 20 October 2008.

In his opening statement, Sir Anthony Campbell, among other things, announced the core participants designated to date (list available here), confirmed that a Procedural Hearing will be held in Glasgow on the morning of 21 November at 10:30am, and indicated that the main hearings will not commence until early 2009.

In preparation for 21 November, during his opening statement, he invited the representatives of those who have been designated as core participants - and others who so wish - to provide to him in writing by 14 November:

• an outline of the issues within the terms of reference that they would wish to see the Inquiry pursue;
• the lines of evidence that they would regard it as necessary for the Inquiry to follow; and
• a note of the witnesses and documents that they would regard as relevant to such lines of inquiry.

While the Inquiry prefers to receive documents in electronic format, where possible, (such as Word or PDF) submitted by e-mail, the Inquiry will accept submissions on paper. Details about how to contact the Inquiry are available here.

The transcript of the Initial Hearing is available here and the text of the Chairman's opening statement can be viewed here. 

The Initial Hearing for the independent public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Shirley McKie case will take place on the morning of Monday 20 October 2008 at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall at 10.30am, and is open to members of the public. The venue will be open from 9.30am.

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is in Glasgow city centre, located at the top of Buchanan Street. It can also be accessed from Killermont Street. The hearing will take place in the Exhibition Hall.

Glasgow's Concert Halls – Maps & Directions

A procedural hearing is being planned for the morning of Friday 21 November 2008 at 10.30am at the same venue. 

The Inquiry placed the following Public Notice in the national press of 18 September 2008.

Public Notice (PDF, 204Kb)

"The importance of this inquiry is evident to me. I know from my previous experience of conducting this type of work in Scotland that, by their very nature, inquiries tend to deal with issues that are difficult and sensitive. I intend that this inquiry will be both rigorous and fair in dealing with issues and individuals arising from the Shirley McKie case.

"The process of directing the planning and preparatory work that is necessary for an inquiry of this type will begin very shortly with the inquiry itself starting in September. Further announcements will be made by my inquiry team in due course."

The Inquiry’s main hearings got underway in Glasgow today, with an opening statement by Senior Counsel to the Inquiry, Gerry Moynihan QC.

Mr Moynihan said that it would be possible to begin the Inquiry with a short statement as to the issues raised by the material that the Inquiry had received and to proceed immediately to hear the evidence.  However, in common with the precedent set in at least one other prominent public inquiry, he proposed to take a radically different course and to review and in part analyse the evidence that the Inquiry had so far received.  

He indicated that he had adopted this course primarily because he was aware that the inquiry had secured a substantial volume of material and it was not the intention to rehearse all the evidence at the public hearings, but rather to focus on discrete parts of the controversy.   He considered that without an overall analysis it might be difficult for those not directly involved in the hearings to follow the evidence and to understand where it falls into the overall picture. 

He said that his statement therefore seeks to paint the general picture and places the contribution of individual witness or documents in context.

Mr Moynihan emphasised that the opening statement reflects the analysis carried out by Counsel and not by the Chairman, and that the statement does not seek to reach conclusions in relation to the various point in controversy.  That, he emphasised, is a matter for the Chairman in due course.

After an opening chapter dealing with the law and practice in relation to fingerprint evidence in general Mr Moynihan began a chronological narration of the sequence of events highlighting the specific issues that, in counsel to the inquiry’s view, require to be resolved by the Chairman, and the evidence available on the point.

In introducing today’s proceedings, the Chairman, Sir Anthony Campbell indicated that daily sittings are currently expected to be from 10.15am to 4pm Tuesdays to Thursdays, and 10.15am to 3pm on Fridays with a lunch break from 1pm to 1.50pm.  The current programme of hearings is expected to continue until 10 July, and to resume in late August.

Counsel’s statement will continue tomorrow Wednesday and will be available on the Inquiry website once delivered.  The transcript of today’s proceedings will be on the website later today.