Information about the Inquiry team.
The Inquiry Chair
Lady Smith was appointed a Judge of the Supreme courts in 2001 and was appointed to the Inner House in November 2012. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh (LL.B. Hons). Lady Smith was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1980 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1993. She served as a Temporary Sheriff from 1995 to 1999, was Chair of the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Abuse from 1998 to 2000 and served as an Advocate Depute from 2000 until she was appointed a Judge.
Having a long standing interest in and experience of cases involving children and families, Lady Smith chaired the Advocates Family Law Group. Similarly, on account of her interest in and experience of cases involving breaches of duty by professional persons, she chaired the Advocates Professional Negligence Group.
Lady Smith has carried out a wide range of duties as a judge, including serving as the Scottish Employment Appeal Tribunal judge for eight years between 2004 and 2012, chairing the Scottish Tribunal Forum and chairing the Reserved Tribunals Group. Lady Smith was appointed as the first President of the Scottish Tribunals in July 2014.
The Inquiry team
The Inquiry Chair is supported by the Chief Executive (Secretary to the Inquiry) who manages the operational and administrative support for the Inquiry including: Witness Support; Statement Taking; Records and Evidence Management; Research and Policy; Data Protection; and, Operations and Business Support teams. The Chief Executive (Secretary to the Inquiry) is Julie-Anne Jamieson.
The Chair has appointed a team of Counsel to the Inquiry who lead its investigations, participate in the provision of advice, and appear at Inquiry hearings. The Counsel team is led by Colin MacAulay KC, Lead Senior Counsel and James A. Peoples KC, Lead Senior Counsel.
The Inquiry has a team of lawyers assisted by paralegals. They work with Inquiry counsel on investigations and preparation for public hearings. They also provide legal advice to the Chair and the wider Inquiry team. The Solicitor to the Inquiry, Andrea Summers, leads the legal team.
The witness support team support applicants and other witnesses to provide evidence to the Inquiry, whether through providing a written statement or appearing at a public hearing.
The statement taking team work closely with the witness support and legal teams in preparation for private sessions with applicants and witnesses, as well as conducting sessions with applicants. Statement Takers help the applicant/witness prepare a written statement of their evidence to the Inquiry.
The Operations team oversee the day-to-day operational functions of the Inquiry and public hearings. These include facilities management, security, health and safety, and the provision of hearing’s support, such as transcription services.
The Finance & Business Services team carry out ongoing financial analysis, checking and reporting on expenditure as well supporting the oversight of procurement and supplier contracts, the purchasing of goods, and all aspects of business services for the Inquiry
The Records and Evidence Management team are responsible for the receiving and processing (including redaction) of all documentary evidence gathered by the Inquiry throughout the course of its investigations. Their involvement ranges from the early investigative phase through to hearings, final reporting stage and archiving of material as a public record.
The Policy & Research team carries out research as directed by the Chair and counsel to support their work; identifies, reviews, and summarises research, policy, and information relating to the abuse of children in care and related topics; plans and manages roundtables; and commissions and manages the production of experts’ reports.
The Data Protection team are responsible for overseeing the Inquiry’s data protection strategy and implementation. They provide advice and support across a range of queries such as policy and procedure, risk assessments and Data Subjects rights. SCAI’s Data Protection officer is the main contact point for external sources such as data subjects and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).