The Inquiry will be progressed in a number of stages
Some of the stages may run concurrently
The principal sources of evidence will be written statements submitted to the Inquiry by witnesses and documents recovered during the course of investigations by the Inquiry Team, as supplemented by oral evidence where the Chair considers that necessary.
Stage 1: Establishing the Inquiry: Announcement of the Inquiry by the Cabinet Secretary, appointment of Lord Brodie as Chair and agreeing the Remit and Terms of Reference. Appointment of Secretary, Solicitor and Counsel to the Inquiry.
Stage 2: Preliminary administrative steps: Setting up offices, recruiting staff and obtaining technical support.
Stage 3: Preliminary investigation: Retrieving and reviewing documents in order to scope what future investigative work is required. Meeting with stakeholders and identifying potential witnesses and expert specialists. Identifying potential areas for further consideration within the Inquiry’s Remit and Terms of Reference.
Stage 4: Gathering material: Recovering and reviewing all relevant documentation from parties having an interest. Obtaining written statements from potential witnesses. Inviting applications for designation as core participants.
Stage 5: Preliminary Hearing: Convening interested parties, either actually or virtually. Setting out what has already been done and specifying the focus of the Inquiry and when and how the Inquiry hearings will operate.
Stage 6: Formal call for evidence: This will be the opportunity for people to provide written evidence to the Inquiry. The parties who have been identified as core participants will have the opportunity to make their views known. However, Lord Brodie is also keen to hear from anyone else who has been affected by the issues identified in the Inquiry’s Remit and Terms of Reference or has relevant information to contribute about them.
Stage 7: Review of the written evidence submitted in stage 6: This evidence will be considered by Lord Brodie in order to decide what further evidence is required at oral hearings.
Stage 8: Oral hearings: There will be some oral hearings at which specified witnesses will be asked to appear. Details of these will be announced at the appropriate time. Not everyone who provides written statements or who lodges written submissions will be invited to give oral evidence. Where it is not possible to hear the evidence of witnesses in person, their evidence will be heard virtually. The hearings will be live-streamed in order to facilitate public access
Stage 9: Publication of evidence: All documents presented at the oral hearings, along with the transcripts of the hearings will be published on this website. The remaining written evidence will also be published.
Stage 10: Final report and recommendations: Review of all the evidence submitted and information obtained, in order to produce a final report and recommendations.