Coroner demands Diana probe documents

Baroness Butler-Sloss is to retain tight control of the mass of documentation generated in the three-year inquiry.

She ruled: "Access to material in the following directions will be in such manner and by such means as may be directed by the coroner."

Lawyers for Mohamed al Fayed, whose son Dodi was killed alongside the princess in 1997, want to see the thousands of pages including the Prince of Wales' interview notes. Lady Butler-Sloss said interested parties who wish to have access to the material "must provide an undertaking as to confidentiality".

She called on Mr al Fayed's lawyers and other legal teams to provide a list of allegations "of wrongdoing in connection with the deaths" and any evidence they have to support them.

Mr al Fayed claims Diana was pregnant with Dodi's child and they were murdered in an establishment and secret service plot masterminded by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Lady Butler-Sloss, who made the request in written directions, asked for the list to be handed in seven days before the next hearing, which is yet to be set.

Lady Butler-Sloss said: "I do need to satisfy myself that the documents held by Operation Paget and to be made available are potentially relevant, do not raise any unduly sensitive issues and are not subject to any claims in PII (Public Interest Immunity)."

The ruling stated: "The Operation Paget team, acting as Coroner's officers, are to provide Interested Persons with access to material expressly referred to in the Coroner's Report which has not already been provided. The Operation Paget team are to provide to the Coroner the underlying material expressly referred to and relied upon by Operation Paget in the Stevens Report."

Lady Butler-Sloss added that, subject to confidentiality, the Operation Paget team is to provide to interested parties' experts access to the Mercedes wreck, medical records, computer technology, photographs and plans.