BOLTON School old girl Dame Janet Smith will be speaking at the University of Bolton later this month.

Lady Justice Smith, who is heading up the inquiry into the Jimmy Savile scandal, will give the 4th annual Ryder Lecture on "Public Inquiries: are they important or a waster of money?" on March 19.

Stockport-born Dame Janet is the latest in a number of high profile speakers to give an invite only Ryder Lecture.

The first speaker was the Honourable Mr Justice Ryder, one of the country's leading judges who gave students an in-depth look at the future of UK family law.

Lady Justice Smith is a former high court judge and president of the Council of the Inns Court.

She became independent assessor for miscarriages of justice in 2011.

She was called to the Bar in 1972 — at the comparatively late age of 32 having turned down a place to read science at Girton College, Cambridge.

She practised in Manchester for 20 years and was made a QC in 1986 and a high court judge in 1992.

In 2002, she became the fourth woman to be promoted to the Court of Appeal and chaired the Harold Shipman inquiry.

Other high profile cases included approving the landmark £500 million settlement for 30,000 miners suffering from "white finger" syndrome.

In 1991 she chaired the investigation into the ill-treatment of autistic children at Scotforth House, a local authority home in Lancaster.

In October 2012 she was appointed by the BBC to lead an inquiry into the allegations of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile.

A spokesman for the university said: "The University of Bolton is honoured to welcome Lady Justice Smith for our fourth annual Ryder Lecture.

"Lady Justice Smith’s eminent reputation as an authority on the subject she will discuss, 'Public Inquiries: are they important or a waste of money?', guarantees a fascinating lecture.

"The university is delighted to host another event of such stature, after successful evenings at the Centre of Islamic Finance, with former chancellor of the exchequer Norman Lamont, and the Bolton Business School, with ex-footballer and businessman Francis Lee."