The Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly has entered a new
   stage as it cross-examines a senior Ministry of Defence official.

   Deputy chief of defence intelligence Martin Howard is the first
   witness facing hostile questioning about the way Dr Kelly was named as
   the suspected source for the BBC's Iraq dossier story.

   The inquiry has already heard on Tuesday from Dr Nicholas Hunt, the
   pathologist who examined the body as it was slumped against a tree in
   an Oxfordshire woodland.

   Dr Hunt said there were at least 5 cuts to Dr Kelly's left wrist, but
   no other signs of injury to the body. The wrist wounds were typical of
   self-inflicted injury.

   Sir Richard did say enough for those present to get the impression
   that he is someone unfamiliar with hearing his words questioned 

   He said bruises and minor grazes on Dr Kelly's body may have been
   caused by him "stumbling" to the scene.

   But there were no signs of defensive injuries that would occur as a
   result of somebody trying to parry blows from a weapon, he said.

   Neither was there evidence of the scientist being restrained,
   strangled or dragged to the woodland spot.

   Dr Hunt said the major cause of the scientist's death were the wounds
   to his wrist and the overdose of prescription painkiller coproxamol
   and the narrowing of arteries to his heart.

   Dr Hunt estimated that Dr Kelly died between 1615 BST on 17 July -
   about an hour after he went missing - and 0115 on 18 July.

   'Naming'

   Mr Howard has been examined by lawyers for the inquiry itself and is
   now being questioned by barristers for Dr Kelly's family.

   He is being pressed over the Ministry of Defence's "naming strategy"
   for Dr Kelly, after the scientist had come forward as a possible
   source for a controversial BBC report on the dossier.

   A clearly uncomfortable Greg Dyke gave the impression of a man
   impatient with detail 

   The BBC's Nick Higham

   BBC chief in the spotlight 

   Dr Kelly apparently committed suicide after being named in public as
   the suspected source for the BBC report which claimed Downing Street
   had "sexed up" the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

   Mr Howard said he had given factual details from his interviews of Dr
   Kelly to officials drawing up the MoD statement about the scientist's
   links with Mr Gilligan.

   Dr Kelly was not named in the statement but his name was later
   confirmed to journalists when put to MoD press officers.

   Explaining his role in meetings as the press statement was prepared,
   Mr Howard said he did not not recall discussing the approach to be
   adopted if a journalist put Dr Kelly's name forward.

   But he had presumed the name would be confirmed because it would be
   very difficult to do otherwise, he said.

   MoD press officer Kate Wilson will also be cross-examined on Tuesday
   as she gives evidence for the first time.

   Later, Dr Andy Shuttleworth, of the Defence Science and Technology
   Laboratory (DSTL) will be another new witness who will not be
   cross-examined.

   On Monday BBC boss Greg Dyke said the BBC had made a mistake in trying
   to reply too promptly to complaints from former Downing Street press
   chief Alastair Campbell about the dossier story, rather than first
   ordering a full investigation.

   But Mr Dyke said news bosses had felt they had to react after Mr
   Campbell staged an "unprecedented" attack, accusing the BBC of bias
   over its entire coverage of the Iraq war.

   In an unprecedented "public" appearance via audiolink, MI6 director
   Sir Richard Dearlove said the 45-minute claim - reportedly criticised
   by Dr Kelly - had been a "piece of well-sourced intelligence" from an
   established, reliable source.

   He conceded the claim may have been misinterpreted by the readers of
   the dossier, but said he had not been aware of any unhappiness about
   it from members of his staff.