Lord Hutton today said he was satisfied Government weapons expert Dr David Kelly had taken his own life.

Delivering a statement ahead of the full publication of his long-awaited report into the death of Dr Kelly, Lord Hutton said he was satisfied there was no third party involved.

Speaking at Court 76 of the Royal Courts of Justice, the former law lord said he was satisfied Dr Kelly had taken his own life by cutting his wrists and taking Co-proxamol tablets.

Lord Hutton said: ''I am satisfied that Dr Kelly took his own life by cutting his left wrist and that his death was hastened by taking Co-proxamol tablets.

''I am further satisfied that there was no involvement by a third person in Dr Kelly's death.''

Lord Hutton said that it was possible that Dr Kelly could have been in line to get a knighthood for his work.

He then said that the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, established in 1994, had decided to examine the question of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Lord Hutton said that Dr Kelly had met BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan in May 2003 at the Charing Cross hotel in London and had discussed the dossier on WMD.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said: ''We are very happy that there be an inquiry. That is why we are in touch with Lord Hutton and if he recommends a certain course of action, we will take it.''

Full coverage of the Hutton Report in tomorrow's Northern Echo.