The Inquiry has published an update on its work.
This update provides information on:
- Phase 2 hearings
- Phase 2 timetable
- Inquiry venue
- Disclosure figures
- Core participant numbers
- Drop-ins and aftermath
Phase 2 hearings
The Inquiry’s Phase 2 hearings begin on Monday 27 January 2020. The hearings will begin with opening statements, followed by an examination into the primary refurbishment of Grenfell Tower (the full list of modules is below).
Members of the public are welcome to attend the hearings, and they will also be live streamed on the Inquiry’s website. Transcripts for each day of the hearings will also be available on the relevant hearing pages. You can find information about what to expect from the hearings in the Inquiry’s guide ‘What is a public Inquiry?’.
Phase 1 of the Inquiry established what took place at Grenfell Tower on the night of the fire. This included the cause and origin of the fire, its subsequent development, the loss of life incurred and the response of the London Fire Brigade and other emergency services.
Phase 2 of the Inquiry will examine the circumstances and causes of the disaster, including how Grenfell Tower came to be in a condition which allowed the fire to spread in the way identified in Phase 1.
The Inquiry is structured in the two phases set out above because the Chairman felt it necessary to first establish exactly what took place at Grenfell Tower on the night of the fire. Now that this has been established, the findings made in the Phase 1 report will form the springboard for Phase 2, which will enable it to examine the causes of these events.
Phase 2 timetable
The detailed schedule and list of witnesses for each week of hearings will be published on the Inquiry’s website the Friday before each week. Below is a provisional timeline for the Phase 2 hearings. Please note this timetable could be subject to change depending on the Inquiry’s requirements. The full timetable for the first week of hearings can be found here.
| Module | Topic | Month |
|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | The primary refurbishment - overview and cladding | Approximately February to April 2020 (including Easter break) |
| Module 2 | Cladding products – testing/certification, product marketing | Approximately May to June 2020 |
| Module 3 | Complaints and communication with residents; management of Grenfell Tower, compliance with Fire Safety Order 2005; fire risk assessment; active and passive fire safety measures internal to building | Approximately July to October 2020 (including summer break) |
| Module 4 | Aftermath of the fire | Approximately October to November 2020 |
| Module 5 | Firefighting | Approximately December 2020 to February 2021 |
| Module 6 | Government | Approximately February to May 2021 (including Easter break) |
| Module 7 | Further evidence from expert witnesses | Approximately May to June 2021 |
The Inquiry will conclude with the presentation of evidence concerning the deceased to enable the finding of facts necessary for the purposes of s.5(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (Module 8).
Venue
Phase 2 hearings will be at the Inquiry’s new purpose-built venue, 13 Bishop’s Bridge Road, London, W2 6BU. The new venue has significantly more space for the Inquiry’s proceedings and provides ease of access for bereaved, survivors and resident core participants (BSRs) and local community. The nearest station is Paddington, which is approximately a 5-minute walk from the venue. There is a private ‘quiet room’ for BSRs, a dedicated room for BSRs to view the live stream, a further annex with screens which will be live streaming the hearings, a counselling room and a multi-faith prayer room. More information about getting to the venue and what to expect when attending, including security and support information, can be found here.
Prime Minister’s response to the Phase 1 report
On 21 January 2020, the Prime Minister wrote to the Chairman of the Inquiry with his response to the Phase 1 report. The letter, and the full response, can be found under ‘correspondence’ on the Inquiry’s documents page.
Disclosure figures
As at 21 January 2020, the Inquiry has received over 757,300 documents from material providers and BSRs, and has disclosed 20,753 documents over 114 tranches in Phase 1 and 93,206 documents over 44 tranches in Phase 2.
Core participants
The full list of the Inquiry's core participants (CPs) is available on the key documents page. Further information on CPs is covered in our guide, which includes details of the role they play in the Inquiry, and how this differs from being a witness.
Individuals
712 individuals have applied for CP status, of which 606 have been granted.
Organisations
77 organisations have applied for CP status, of which 34 have been granted.
Drop-ins and aftermath
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry would like to hear from local residents who have information about the emergency relief response in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
Members of the team looking at the aftermath of the fire will be at the next Inquiry drop-in to listen to local residents and take questions.
During the Phase 2 hearings, in addition to our monthly drop-ins in the community, we will hold a weekly hour-long drop-in session in the Inquiry venue at 13 Bishop’s Bridge Road. Details of all upcoming drop-ins will be made available on the drop-in page of the Inquiry’s website shortly.
If you are unable to attend any of the drop-ins, please contact the Inquiry using the details below. We can then arrange for individuals or small groups to speak with a member of the team, either at a separate meeting or by phone.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 020 7842 3583