A brief procedural hearing addressing core participant questioning procedures and a dispute regarding disclosure timing of a Rule 10 application. The chairman clarifies the protocol for questioning witnesses and responds to concerns about integrity allegations made in a public forum.
00:16:57 e e
00:17:55 good afternoon everyone and welcome to the afternoon session of today's undercover pleasing inquiry I will now hand over to the chairman to continue proceedings chairman thank you Miss Branda uh I
00:18:06 chairman thank you Miss Branda uh I think this applies only to you but if it applies to Mr Men Mr Menan as well um we
00:18:18 applies to Mr Men Mr Menan as well um we have two witnesses as you know this part left one tomorrow and one the day after um exceptionally and only for these purposes uh I I what I propose is this that at the end of the uh
00:18:32 that at the end of the uh evidence given in response to questions from Council to the inquiry uh I will pause for 10 minutes uh if you then have any questions that you wish to put to the witness then
00:18:47 you wish to put to the witness then please raise them with me um I I don't myself mind whether they're raised um without the witness being there but I think it causes technical problems if uh you do make that request
00:19:01 uh you do make that request and I don't understand the position to be that that you have questions which might challenge their truthfulness of a kind that you would not wish them to know before you ask them I I hope that
00:19:17 know before you ask them I I hope that explains sufficiently what I propose to do it's not a template for the future because we can't have a position in which um at the end of every witness there is a a pause and it would be bound to bit for more than 10 minutes uh for
00:19:32 to bit for more than 10 minutes uh for questions to be thought about and then asked um I hope Miss brand that meets your um uh immediate concern yes thank you very much sir um I'm grateful for that indication and obviously um at the future directions
00:19:45 obviously um at the future directions hearing um consideration can be given to the the overall procedure um going forward precisely when we have time to to reflect upon it to to think about it and to debate it at greater length than that thank
00:20:06 Mr Menan thank you sir I have nothing to add I'm grateful for the indication thank
00:20:10 thank you uh then um unless Miss brander there is anything you want to say in response to the last topic that I raised uh that that would be it for today but if you have got anything to say um please take this opportunity of doing so well say
00:20:24 this opportunity of doing so well say yes I'm afraid I'm not in a position to give a full response um I have taken instructions over um lunch my instruction listers bnbs have managed to speak briefly with Rosa she's currently in a professionals meeting um I have to say she was quite alarmed um that her
00:20:39 say she was quite alarmed um that her integrity was called into question at a public hearing um without advanced notice and she does wish to have an opportunity to make a public response um but if I could just say briefly um that
00:20:55 but if I could just say briefly um that in terms of the chronology I understand that um the refusal to um make public the application um was about a week prior to the written statement being finalized um and certainly as I
00:21:06 finalized um and certainly as I understand it um Rosa had agreed for her application to be disclosed to the police um she just had didn't at that early a point want it to be made public um I know that the process of her
00:21:22 um I know that the process of her reaching a point where she felt able to share her personal details in the opening statement was a very um difficult and painful process for her um and I know Miss calman and bernberg
00:21:34 and I know Miss calman and bernberg spent many hours on the telephone with her um getting to the point where she
00:21:45 her um getting to the point where she was ready to share those details um and you will recall sir that there was an application for an extension of time beyond the initial deadline and I understand that right up until half an hour before the 4 pm deadline um there were still telephone conversations with
00:21:57 were still telephone conversations with Rosa about what she was and wasn't able to share
00:21:59 to share um that that's as much as I'm able to say at the moment because as I say um Rosa wasn't available Beyond a very quick conversation with my instructing solicitors but I know that she feels quite strongly about this and and she
00:22:11 quite strongly about this and and she would wish to have an opportunity given that this isn't been raised in a public forum in a public forum to make her response
00:22:24 response um can I say this in response first of all I accept what you and she say without reservation it was not my intention uh to criticize her Integrity uh I didn't do so I thought and I
00:22:40 uh I didn't do so I thought and I certainly don't do so it's not necessary frankly for her to um make a public statement about it but of course she's free to do so if she wishes uh I don't ask that any further steps are taken to investigate the matter that I
00:22:55 investigate the matter that I raised thank you sir I'll convey that to her thank
00:22:56 her thank you then that I think close his proceedings for today and we will resume I think at 12:00 tomorrow uh to hear from Helen
00:23:12 steel thank you very much everyone that concludes today's session we will resume at midday tomorrow online and the hearing center will also be open for attendees thank you very much you may now go to your breakout rooms or leave the call