Day 246 - 09 May 96 - Page 38


     
     1   MR. JUSTICE BELL: No.  I would like you to turn it over in your
     2        mind.
     3
     4   MR. RAMPTON: -- At the moment I am afraid.
     5
     6   MS. STEEL:   If I could say that I am actually extremely
     7        concerned by what Mr. Rampton has just said.  I do not
     8        think the fact that we are litigants in person, or
     9        campaigners, or anything, should mean that he should treat
    10        us differently to how he would treat a normal or a more
    11        usual opposing party in a court case.  For example, if they
    12        are represented,
    13
    14   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What Mr. Rampton is saying, as I understand
    15        it, is he is minded to play it by the book, and what I am
    16        urging him to do, which is why I would urge you not to
    17        protest any further, I am urging him not necessarily to
    18        play it by the book in this instance so far as who is
    19        present.
    20
    21   MS. STEEL:  Well, if I just say, McDonald's knew who we were
    22        before they issued writs on us, so they knew who they were
    23        issuing writs against.  They cannot suddenly turn round
    24        half way through the case and say, "Well, I am sorry, we do
    25        not want to disclose documents to you".  They are stuck
    26        with it.  They chose to bring the case.  It is absolutely
    27        essential to the document to know who was present at these
    28        discussions.
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I will hear argument about this if and when
    31        Mr. Rampton stands up and says he is not going to disclose
    32        who was present.  So long as there is a possibility that he
    33        might do, I do not think it is productive to have argument
    34        on it at this stage.
    35
    36        You can present your argument on it if he says: "I am going
    37        to adhere to my previous decision not to put in who is
    38        present".  I am not going to rule on that until it is quite
    39        clear there is no solution by agreement.
    40
    41   MS. STEEL:  The problem is that it is continually being used by
    42        Mr. Rampton to basically stall on things.  We are having to
    43        keep making applications and it is very difficult for us to
    44        keep remembering all the ones we have applied for and so
    45        on.
    46
    47   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Leave this point.  This point is clearly in
    48        everyone's mind now and you can raise it first thing
    49        tomorrow morning if we have not had an answer from
    50        Mr. Rampton by then. 
    51 
    52   MS. STEEL:  (To the witness): If you turn to page 21 of the 
    53        documents, which is a totally blank sheet, apart from LGP,
    54        11th April 1994".  The whole of the rest of that page is
    55        blanked out.  Do you know what this is?
    56        A.  No.  I mean, it follows a Scope communications
    57        letterhead, a couple of pages back, talking about a date of
    58        meeting 11th April.  It may very well have been a
    59        continuation sheet of some kind but I have no way of
    60        knowing.

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