The Inquiry Rules 2006

Interpretation

2.  In these Rules—

“the Act” means the Inquiries Act 2005;

“award” means an award under section 40(1) of the Act;

“core participant” means a person designated as such under rule 5;

“costs assessor” means—

(a)

in England and Wales, a costs judge;

(b)

in Scotland, the Auditor of the Court of Session; and

(c)

in Northern Ireland, the Master (Taxing Office);

“counsel to the inquiry” means the qualified lawyer or lawyers, if any, appointed by the chairman to act as counsel;

“designated email address” means the email address notified by a person to a member of the inquiry team, in writing, as the email address to be used for email communications;

“designated fax number” means—

(a)

in the case of the inquiry, the fax number notified to witnesses (and their recognised legal representatives, if any) by the secretary to the inquiry, in whatever manner he sees fit, as the number to which faxes should be sent; and

(b)

in the case of any other person, the fax number or numbers notified by that person to a member of the inquiry team, in writing, as the number to be used for communication by fax;

“designated postal address” means—

(a)

in the case of the inquiry, the address notified to witnesses (and their recognised legal representative, if any) by the secretary to the inquiry, in whatever manner he sees fit, as the address to which correspondence should be addressed; and

(b)

in the case of any other person, the address notified by that person to a member of the inquiry team, in writing, as the address to be used for postal communications;

“inquiry” means an inquiry under section 1 of the Act which a United Kingdom Minister causes to be held;

“inquiry record” means all documents given to or created by the inquiry;

“inquiry team” means—

(a)

the inquiry panel;

(b)

the counsel to the inquiry;

(c)

the secretary to the inquiry;

(d)

the solicitor to the inquiry;

(e)

assessors appointed under section 11 of the Act; and

(f)

any other person engaged (whether as an employee or under a contract for services) to provide administrative, legal or managerial assistance to the inquiry or to assist in any investigations which the inquiry may conduct;

“qualified lawyer” means—

(a)

a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales;

(b)

a solicitor or advocate in Scotland; or

(c)

a solicitor or barrister in Northern Ireland;

“recognised legal representative” means a person designated under rule 6 or rule 7;

“relevant part of the United Kingdom” means the part of the United Kingdom in which costs claimant’s applications will be assessed;

“secretary to the inquiry” means a person appointed by the chairman to carry out (with the assistance of any deputies that may be appointed) the administration and management of the inquiry;

“solicitor to the inquiry” means the qualified lawyer (or other person certified by the Head of the Government Legal Service as suitable) appointed by the chairman to act as solicitor;

“warning letter” means a letter sent by the chairman to a person during the course of the inquiry which contains a statement to the effect that it is a warning letter; and

“witness” means any person to whom the inquiry panel has sent a written request for a written statement under rule 9(1).