John Reid: Challenging pay award

They claimed the case should be heard in London because the pay rise was approved by Judge Hirst, the senior costs judge for England and Wales.

The Northern Ireland Office is footing the bill for the inquiry and Dr Reid decided to challenge the latest pay award following widespread public criticism of the huge costs involved.

The lawyers were also awarded travelling expenses of �125 an hour - meaning an extra �500 daily if they have to drive from Belfast to Londonderry.

New rates

The hearing was by way of an application on behalf of the 13 barristers to set aside leave granted last November to the secretary of state to seek a judicial review of the new rates.

Counsel for the 13 said the judicial review could not be heard in the High Court in Belfast because Judge Hirst, who approved the new rates, had no jurisdiction in Northern Ireland.

Counsel for the secretary of state said there was a reasonably sufficient connection between the issues raised in the case and the jurisdiction of the court.

In refusing the application, Mr Justice Kerr said he would give his reasons next week.

Lord Saville: Heading inquiry

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville of Newdigate, was established in 1998 by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair after a campaign by families of those killed and injured.

They felt that the Widgery Inquiry, held shortly after the shootings, did not find out the truth about what happened on Bloody Sunday.

The new inquiry has been sitting in public in Derry's Guildhall for more than a year and is expected to run for another two years.

Witnesses to the inquiry are immune from prosecution on issues arising from their evidence.

It is aimed solely at establishing the facts of what happened.