Diana inquest to quiz top officer

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed died in a car crash in 1997

Former Met Police chief Lord Stevens will be quizzed for the Diana inquest over whether a chauffeur was drunk.

Lawyers for Henri Paul's family said Lord Stevens told his parents in November 2006 their son was not drunk when the car he was driving crashed.

But a month later a report headed by Lord Stevens concluded Mr Paul had three times the French drink-drive limit, a preliminary hearing was told.

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

Operation Paget

The coroner for the inquest, Lord Justice Scott Baker, also set out the 20 issues which the case will look at.

At the High Court, Lord Justice Scott Baker confirmed Lord Stevens would be asked about the driver and the Operation Paget investigation into the crash.

However, no decision has been made over whether the ex-Met commissioner would be a witness at the inquest.

He told Richard Keen QC: "I take your point about the discrepancy about what Stevens says and what Paget says and that will be looked in to and the results supplied in due course."

Mr Keen told the court: "What we need to know is why is there such a gross discrepancy between what he was saying on the 8 November and between what was published on 14 December?"

Edmund Lawson QC, for the Metropolitan Police, said Lord Stevens would assist the inquest if required.

Dodi's father Mohammed Al Fayed, owner of Harrods department store, alleges the crash was part of a secret plot by the British establishment.

Alleged plot

Lord Justice Scott Baker said the 20 issues to be explored were:

Whether driver error on the part of Henri Paul caused or contributed to the cause of the collision

Whether Henri Paul's ability to drive was impaired through drink or drugs

Whether a Fiat Uno or any other vehicle caused or contributed to the collision

Whether the actions of the paparazzi caused or contributed to the collision

Whether the road/tunnel layout and construction were inherently dangerous and if so whether this contributed to the collision

Whether any bright/flashing lights contributed to or caused the collision and, if so, their source

Whose decision it was that the Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed should leave from the rear entrance to the Ritz and that Henri Paul should drive the vehicle

Henri Paul's movements between 0700 and 2200 on 30 August 1997

The explanation for the money in Henri Paul's possession on 30 August 1997 and in his bank account

Whether photographer James Andanson was in Paris on the night of the collision

Whether the Princess of Wales' life would have been saved if she had reached hospital sooner or if her medical treatment had been different

Whether the Princess of Wales was pregnant

Whether the Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed were about to announce their engagement

Whether and, if so in what circumstances, the Princess of Wales feared for her life

The circumstances relating to the purchase of the ring

The circumstances in which the Princess of Wales' body was embalmed

Whether the evidence of ex-spy Richard Tomlinson throws any light on the collision

Whether the British or any other security services had any involvement in the collision

Whether there was anything sinister about (i) the Cherruault burglary or (ii) the disturbance at the Big Pictures agency

Whether correspondence belonging to the Princess of Wales (including some from Prince Philip) has disappeared, and if so the circumstances

The next hearing will be held on 5 and 6 September.

It is likely to be the last before the full inquest is scheduled to start in October.