Hoon and Straw to give Iraq evidence

Jack Straw and Geoff Hoon are to be the first members of Tony Blair's Cabinet to give evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, it was announced today.

Mr Hoon, who was defence secretary at the time of the invasion in 2003, will appear next week for two three-hour sessions on Tuesday 19 January.

He will then be followed on Thursday 21 January by Mr Straw - the current Justice Secretary who was foreign secretary in 2003 - who will give evidence in a single three-hour session.