The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
RESTRICTION NOTICE No. 4
Introduction
1 This Restriction Notice is made under section 19 of the Inquiries Act 2005 (“the Act”).
2 For the purposes of this Restriction Notice, references to:
a. “the Inquiry” are references to the “Alexander Litvinenko Inquiry”;
b. “the Chairman” is a reference to the person appointed by the Minister to chair the
Inquiry under section 4 of the Act, namely Sir Robert Owen;
c. “the Minister” is a reference to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
and, after the setting up of the Inquiry, to such other Government officials as are
nominated by the Minister;
d. “Core Inquiry Team” is a reference to the Chairman, counsel to the Inquiry, the
solicitor to the Inquiry and such other persons as are agreed between the Minister
and the Chairman and identified as such in writing;
e. “HMG advisers” is a reference to counsel and solicitors, instructed on behalf of Her
Majesty’s Government, and such other Government officials as are nominated by
the Minister;
f. “relevant witnesses” are references to witnesses whom the Chairman directs
should be called to give evidence in a closed hearing as described in paragraphs
9 to 12 below; and
g. “open rulings, judgments or reports” are references to rulings, judgments or
reports produced by the Chairman in the course, or at the conclusion, of the
Inquiry which may be released to the public without risking harm to the public
interest.
h. “Closed hearings” are hearings of the Inquiry to which paragraphs 9 to 14 below
apply.
3 This Restriction Notice is to be read as imposing no restriction on the disclosure of
any document or information:
a. between members of the Core Inquiry Team for purposes connected with the
Inquiry; or
b. to the Minister or HMG advisers.
Restrictions on the Disclosure or Publication of Evidence or Documents
given, produced or provided to the Inquiry
4 The restrictions referred to at paragraphs 5 and 7 below are imposed:
(i)
as being required by the rule of law known as public interest immunity; and/or
(ii) because the Minister, acting in accordance with section 19(3)(b) of the Act
and having had regard, in particular, to the matters set out in s19(4) of the Act,
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