§ Mr. AustinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what (1) representations he has received from relatives of victims of Dr. Shipman on the rules under which the Laming Inquiry will be held; and if he will make a statement; [117951]
(2) if relatives of victims giving evidence to the Laming Inquiry will be allowed legal representation. [117952]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 6 April 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from a firm of solicitors, Alexander Harris, representing a number of the relatives and friends of the victims of Dr. Shipman.
The Inquiry was established under the powers of the Secretary of State as defined in section 2 of the NHS Act 1977. A letter from my right hon. Friend addressed to Lord Laming of Tewin detailing the rules under which the Inquiry is to be conducted has been placed in the Library. It is within the gift of the chairman of the Inquiry to determine whether or not those making representations to the Inquiry are legally represented.
It is important that the independent Inquiry offers the relatives of the victims of Harold Shipman, including the relatives of people whose cases may not have been brought to trial, the opportunity to make their views known to the Inquiry. In addition, the Inquiry has now written to the families and friends of all the victims identified by the police, inviting them—within the scope of the Inquiry—to inform the Inquiry of their particular circumstances surrounding the death of their relative or friend.