Kelly's pension 'never at risk'

Richard Hatfield faces cross-examination on Thursday

Dr David Kelly's pension was never mentioned as he was questioned over his contacts with the BBC, according to the Ministry of Defence's personnel director.

The scientist apparently committed suicide after being named as the government's suspected source for Andrew Gilligan's controversial Iraq dossier story.

MoD official Richard Hatfield said the level of care Dr Kelly received at the heart of the Iraq dossier row was "outstanding".

The scientist's friend, Olivia Bosch, has told the inquiry he feared his pension and security clearance would be affected after his reprimand for talking to Mr Gilligan.

I wanted Dr Kelly to be quite clear, in case he was worried Richard Hatfield MoD personnel director

But asked if the question of Dr Kelly's pension was ever raised, or had faced any risk, Mr Hatfield replied: "Never, none whatsoever."

Only eight people in the last 30 years at the MoD had ever had their pensions changed, he said, and that was for serious crimes such as manslaughter, embezzlement or spying.

Nor had Dr Kelly's security clearance in any way affected, said Mr Hatfield, as was shown by the fact the scientist was being encouraged to go to Iraq.

"I made that explicit to Dr Kelly," he said. "I expressly told him I didn't see there were any security issues involved... I wanted him to be quite clear, in case he was worried."

Naming strategy

Mr Hatfield was one of the MoD officials who interviewed Dr Kelly about his meeting with Mr Gilligan.

On the basis of what Dr Kelly told the MoD about that meeting, his breaches of procedures had not seemed "particularly serious".

But on Mr Gilligan's version of events, they were potentially very serious because of the criticism of government policy, he said.

Mr Hatfield said Dr Kelly had given his "explicit consent" about the MoD press statement announcing that an official had come forward about speaking to Mr Gilligan.

He had not told the scientist his name would be confirmed if journalists put it to the ministry's press office.

But he said Dr Kelly had been under no illusions that if the press office faced a credible approach by the press identifying Dr Kelly, the MoD would not be able to deny it.

MPs questions

There was no reason for Dr Kelly to have any veto on his name being released, said Mr Hatfield, just as MoD officials could not prevent their names coming out over their involvement in the Hutton inquiry itself.

Mr Hatfield also said Dr Kelly had not been "overjoyed" at the prospect of being publicly questioned by MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee but had seemed "to accept it in the sense of recognising that it might well be a consequence".

The MoD official has so far been questioned by the ministry's own barrister. On Thursday, he faces cross-examination from the Kelly family's QC and the inquiry's own counsel.