The Assessors
An assessor is someone who is appointed to provide advice to the Chairman on their relevant expertise in regards to the Inquiry.
Expectations of assessors
An assessor's function is to provide advice to the Inquiry Chairman. This is likely to involve reading relevant documents, witness statements and any experts’ reports. Assessors will normally be expected to attend hearings when evidence is being taken in relation to matters within the scope of their expertise. Assessors are not expected to ask questions of witnesses, but before a witness is called they may suggest lines of questioning to Counsel to the Inquiry.
Advice assessors give to the Chairman
The Chairman expects that most advice and assistance will be given informally, but if he obtains formal advice in writing from an assessor, which he intends to take into account in reaching his decision, he will provide a copy to Core Participants and publish on the Inquiry’s website.