Consultation into issues for Grenfell inquiry ends

A CONSULTATION on which issues the Grenfell Tower public inquiry should examine has ended following more than 400 submissions.

Survivors, bereaved families and other involved parties have spent the past few weeks making their case about what the scope of the forthcoming probe should be.

As the 5pm deadline for suggestions approached on Friday, campaigners said they would strongly oppose any form of “limited” inquiry into the disaster. At least 80 people died when a fire devastated the 24-storey block last month, while hundreds more were left destitute.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired Court of Appeal judge leading the process, is now tasked with writing to the Prime Minister with recommendations for the inquiry’s terms of reference. It is understood he may use his correspondence to recommend the Government consider broader questions about social housing separately.

It will then be up to Theresa May to decide what questions the inquiry should seek to answer. Heated debate has encircled the probe since its inception in June, with survivors angered by suggestions it could be limited to the cause of the fire and how similar tragedies could be prevented in future.

Sir Martin faced calls to resign after indicating on his first day his investigation may not be broad enough to satisfy all of those affected.

He later promised to consider a broad range of evidence when he launched the public consultation into the terms of reference in July.