Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to speed up the start of the next phase of its work.

The timetable for the independent public Inquiry is a matter for the Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick. Work on Phase 2 has been going on for several months. Sir Martin has said that he would like to start the Phase 2 hearings as soon as possible, but there is still much work to do. The issues to be considered in Phase 2 are complex and detailed, and involve a huge number of documents, which must be reviewed and digested. The investigation must be thorough, but careful and detailed preparation should make it possible to ensure the hearings, once begun, are completed within a reasonable time

Before the phase 2 hearings, the Inquiry will produce its report on phase 1, and carry out, as far as it properly can, an investigation into the deaths caused by the fire, and make findings that will meet the coroner’s requirements. Sir Martin has made clear that some steps can and should be taken immediately in the interests of public safety, and he has put in place a procedure for considering proposals from core participants. Government is committed to providing the Inquiry with all the resources it needs to complete its important task.