Pre-inquiry procedure
Section 18 – Agreement of facts before an inquiry
58.Section 18 provides that FAI rules must make provision about the agreement, before the start of the inquiry, by the procurator fiscal and the participants in an inquiry of uncontroversial facts which are unlikely to be disputed. This is to avoid the need for evidence to be led at the FAI about issues which are not in doubt and thus contribute to shortening the FAI. FAI rules are likely to set out the process by which agreement is to be reached, and include a duty to seek agreement.