Day 149 - 06 Jul 95 - Page 08
1 It will not make one jot of difference to what goes on
2 outside this court. It is only going to affect what goes
3 on inside this court. I would ask that the Plaintiffs
4 reconsider their initial response because, otherwise, the
5 proceedings are likely to go slower when we have to take
6 full notes in order to be able to cross-examine a witness
7 the following day or the day after. It will end up costing
8 the Plaintiffs more if the proceedings go slower, as well.
9 So it is actually in their own interests to agree to let us
10 have the transcripts earlier.
11
12 MR. RAMPTON: We do not need Ms. Steel to tell us what is in our
13 interests. The solution to this problem, this difficulty
14 which the Defendants face, lies within their own hands.
15 They have only to give undertaking for which we have asked
16 and, hey presto, the transcripts will be theirs on a daily
17 basis.
18
19 MS. STEEL: As we said the other day, we are not prepared to be
20 effectively censored by McDonald's, trying to stop us from
21 talking to anybody about what is going on in these
22 proceedings. They are public proceedings. The public have
23 a right to know what is going on; and that includes the
24 public who are not here. We are not interested in putting
25 out disinformation, but people are entitled to know what is
26 going on; and, if we are asked, we have every right to say
27 so.
28
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not going to have any further comment.
30 It is not a matter for me to comment on, save to say this:
31 if anything I said a few moments ago about my understanding
32 of the basis of the arrangement is actually wrong, then it
33 would be as well to correct it, since I have said it in
34 open court.
35
36 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, we will find out.
37
38 MR. JUSTICE BELL: So I think it should be checked what the
39 basis is. But, as far as I am concerned, this is a dispute
40 between the parties which it is not appropriate for me to
41 decide, arbitrate on, or offer any view upon.
42
43 All I will say is that if a time comes when, however it is
44 organised, the Defendants come to have copies of
45 transcripts of any day of the hearing which I have not so
46 far got, and I am thereafter offered a copy of the
47 transcript, I will accept it. But I do not propose to ask
48 for it, and I do not propose to say anything more about it
49 unless I am asked to do so.
50
51 MR. RAMPTON: No, my Lord. Such use as we may make of
52 transcripts also in open court, for example in
53 cross-examination -- although I think I have been sparing
54 in my use of the transcripts for that purpose -- obviously,
55 we would supply a copy of the relevant page or pages to
56 your Lordship and to the Defendants; but nothing beyond
57 that.
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: The other thing is this: I think you will be
60 surprised at how well you can get along with a note.
