Special Measures

A special measure is where the Inquiry Chair grants specific exceptions to their rulings or orders. 

Within the Undercover Policing Inquiry there have only been a couple of such matters, relating to certain core participants with particular needs in relation to the evidential hearings. 

In the normal course of events, these hearings are governed by the Hearings Protocol (see under Conduct of Evidential Hearings), however these general rules were unable to handle every situation. 

The special measures the Inquiry dealt with included:

• Given the Covid-19 pandemic, and that many of the Tranche 1 police witnesses were elderly, the Chair permitted that they could give evidence via video link.
• That the non-state core participant known as ‘Rosa’ could view the Tranche 1 Phase 2 and Phase 3 hearings by video link, the only individual granted this right.
• Permitting former Special Demonstration Squad manager HN3378 Derek Brice HN3378 Derek Brice Inspector Derek Brice was an SDS manager from the end of 1973 until Autumn 1974. he dealt with administrative issues like the SDS budget and purchase of vehicles for undercovers and was present at at least one meeting meeting between the SDS and MI5.  to give evidence remotely in the Tranche 1 Phase 3 hearings due to ill health.