Update from the Inquiry

This update provides information about:

• Phase 1 report publication
• Phase 2
• Inquiry venue
• Next drop-in

Phase 1 report publication

The Inquiry has written to core participants with details of the publication of its Phase 1 report, which will be on Wednesday 30 October.

When the Chairman wrote to the Prime Minister in September, he explained that the report would be ready to be sent to him towards the end of October, as indeed it will be. The Prime Minister asked the Chairman to publish the report as soon as possible and not later than 30 October. The Inquiry understands that the report is an eagerly anticipated document, and that core participants in particular want to see it published as soon as possible.

The report is a very substantial document, which includes a detailed description of the events of the night of 14 June 2017 as well as the Chairman’s findings about the nature of the building, the origins of the fire, its subsequent development, the response of the London Fire Brigade and the steps taken by the other emergency services, all fully supported by references to the evidence. It will also contain a number of recommendations to the Prime Minister. Checking that the report is as accurate as it is possible for it to be has been an essential and time-consuming task.

The Inquiry will receive bound copies of the report on Monday 28 October, at which point the Chairman will send it to the Prime Minister and make advance copies available to core participants including a summary document translated into 15 different languages.

In accordance with Rule 17 of the Inquiry Rules 2006, core participants must be provided with the report prior to publication. The Chairman believes that it is very important that those most affected by the fire have the opportunity to consider the key findings in the report before it is made public. In particular, he wishes to avoid a situation in which Bereaved, Survivors and Resident core participants learn of any of the contents of the report as a consequence of media coverage arising from premature and unauthorised disclosure. Therefore, to meet the deadline set by the Prime Minister, the report will be provided to core participants on Monday 28 October 2019 under an embargo until publication on Wednesday 30 October 2019. 

Prior to collecting their embargoed copies of the report, the Chairman has invited Bereaved, Survivors and Resident core participants to meet him at a private briefing on Monday 28 October 2019, in which he will outline the Inquiry’s approach to the report and its recommendations. All other core participants have been invited to a separate and concurrent private briefing with Counsel to the Inquiry.  

Following the end of this embargo period, the report will be laid in Parliament and published on the Inquiry website on Wednesday 30 October 2019. 

Phase 2 

The issues to be addressed in Phase 2 can be viewed in the Inquiry’s updated List of Issues. The Phase 2 hearings will be organised into a series of modules according to key themes and encompassing the extensive range of issues that the Inquiry will be addressing in Phase 2. Phase 2 hearings will begin on 27 January 2020 with opening submissions followed by Module 1. Further details about the timetable for each of the Phase 2 modules will be provided in due course.

Inquiry venue

The Inquiry’s new venue in Paddington is under construction and is due to be completed in December. The Inquiry will be based in 13 Bishop’s Bridge Road, London, W2 6BU for the duration of the Phase 2 hearings, and will be holding familiarisation visits for core participants in advance of the commencement of Phase 2 hearings. Further details will be provided following completion of the building works.

Next drop-in

The next Inquiry drop-in will take place at the Notting Hill Methodist Church on 4 November 2019 16:00-18:30