The inquiry was told that Sergei Skripal turned down suggestions by the British intelligence services that he change his name in order to protect his identity after he left Russia, adding that he felt safe in Salisbury.
In a statement he said: “I believe I was offered protection, including changing my name. It was never suggested that this was a necessary option and I decided against it.
“I had received a Presidential pardon from the Russian state and wanted to lead as normal a life as possible, including maintaining my personal and family relationships.”
Mr Skripal added: “I did not think, and it was not suggested, that I needed to live in a gated community or a block of flats. Christie Miller Road was a quiet street built for police officers.
“Several neighbours were ex-police. Residents knew and kept an eye out for each other. I felt quite safe there.”
Andrew O’Connor KC said the inquiry would examine whether enough was done to protect Mr Skripal and whether “it was appropriate in all the circumstances to allow Mr Skripal, as appears to have been the case, to decline certain security measures”.
Mr Skripal, who was born in Russia, served as a paratrooper, and later as a member of the GRU – Russian Military Intelligence - before being convicted in Russia on espionage charges in 2004 after he was alleged to have spied for Britain.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison but in 2010 he was given a presidential pardon and brought to the UK on a prisoner exchange.