Hoon 'ordered Kelly to face MPs'

Dr Kelly was found dead in July

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon over-ruled his most senior civil servant to order Dr David Kelly to appear before MPs investigating the Iraq weapons row, the Hutton inquiry has heard.

And it also emerged that Dr Kelly told a senior Foreign Office official that he had spoken to the BBC's Andrew Gilligan before the reporter's controversial broadcast about the weapons dossier.

The inquiry into Dr Kelly's death is hearing from officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office on its fourth day.

A series of memos showed that Ministry of Defence permanent secretary Kevin Tebbit had recommended that Dr Kelly should not have to appear before the Commons foreign affairs committee.

But Mr Hoon's office argued that it would be "presentationally" difficult if Dr Kelly did not give evidence to the committee.

HUTTON INQUIRY Set up after apparent suicide of Dr David Kelly in July Dr Kelly was government expert in Iraq weapons programmes He was named as source of controversial BBC report Report alleged government had 'sexed up' a dossier on Iraq's weapons capability Government denies the allegations Inquiry hears Kelly tape Key points: Day four

A memo from Mr Hoon's office suggested that the weapons expert would be able to "call into question" evidence given previously to the committee by Mr Gilligan.

Dr Kelly had expressed concern about facing a public hearing before the committee, the inquiry heard from his boss at the MoD, Dr Bryan Wells.

And it also emerged that he was warned that any further breaches of civil service rules would lead to disciplinary action.

But the inquiry heard that Dr Kelly had told friend and colleague Patrick Lamb, a senior Foreign Office official, that he was happy with the way he was being treated by the MoD and that his pension was not under threat, as had been suggested.

The weapons expert apparently committed suicide after being named as the possible source for Andrew Gilligan's BBC report claiming Downing Street "sexed up" Iraq's weapons capability to help make the case for war.

The inquiry heard that Mr Tebbit had told Mr Hoon that if Dr Kelly appeared before the committee it would attach "disproportionate importance" to his evidence.

He also stressed: "The man came forward voluntarily. He is not on trial."

Mr Tebbit believed Dr Kelly should only give evidence to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which sits in private.

The inquiry heard that Dr Kelly had been told by his MoD bosses that his contact with Mr Gilligan was "particularly ill-judged".

Details of two meetings between the scientist and two MoD chiefs - at which Dr Kelly was said to be "composed" - were revealed by Dr Wells.

Kelly is not telling the whole story - we need a proper security style interview in which all the inconsistencies are thrashed out John Scarlett

The meetings, the latter of which took place less than a fortnight before Dr Kelly died, were called after the scientist came forward to say he had met Mr Gilligan.

After the meetings on 4 and 7 July, MoD personnel director Richard Hatfield wrote to Dr Kelly telling him: "Your contact with Gilligan was particularly ill-judged.

"Your discussion with him in May has also had awkward consequences for both yourself and the department."

The inquiry heard that in a memo, John Scarlett, head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, said the "finger points strongly at David Kelly" as the main source for Andrew Gilligan's story.

'Junior'

"Kelly is not telling the whole story. We need a proper security style interview in which all the inconsistencies are thrashed out," his note said.

Dr Wells said Dr Kelly did not seem concerned that his name may be made public.

It is not a comfortable experience for anyone to receive that kind of message from the personnel director of the organisation Dr Bryan Wells

He had said he did not believe he was the source of Mr Gilligan's report, Dr Wells said.

And he told Dr Wells: "I most certainly have never attempted to undermine government policy in any way."

Dr Wells is head of the MoD's counter-proliferation and arms control section. Dr Kelly served as an adviser on biological weapons for the department.

Dr Wells said Dr Kelly appeared "content" with a draft press statement being planned by the MoD.

The inquiry also heard that police had investigated the leaking of a top secret document they believed formed the basis of an Andrew Gilligan report in February.

The report centred on the absence of links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. Dr Wells said her believed suspicions that Dr Kelly might have been responsible had proved wrong.

Adamant

But Dr Wells said there were suspicions that Dr Kelly was the source of an Observer report about mobile germ war laboratories.

Mr Lamb, deputy head of counter proliferation at the Foreign Office, later confirmed that he had also suspected Dr Kelly may be the source of that report.

The scientist had told Mr Lamb that he had spoken to Mr Gilligan before the reporter's broadcast.

But he said Dr Kelly was adamant he had not used the words Mr Gilligan had used on the Today programme.

Mr Lamb said he felt the Today story was inaccurate, but that it was from somebody with a "partial" knowledge of the process of drafting the Iraq dossier.