Since we began the public hearings on 10 September of last year, we have heard live evidence from 133 witnesses. The Inquiry received 396 witness statements in response to requests made under Rule 9 of the Inquiries rules. Witnesses were chosen to give evidence after consultation with all Core Participants and the evidence has been directed to all of the Terms of Reference and the questions in the annex.
Two witnesses did not attend because of illness. Transcripts of the evidence given in the hearings are on the Inquiry website.
I am grateful to witnesses who came to give evidence and I am particularly indebted to the many parents who provided witness statements and/or gave oral evidence of the terrible events and experiences in 2015, 2016 and ever since. Their powerful evidence is an enduring reminder of the reason for this Inquiry.
Where a witness has not given evidence, the Inquiry legal team have uploaded the statement on to the website or, where appropriate, they have summarised groups of statements dealing with similar issues, read them into the record, and uploaded the summaries on to the website.
Whilst I don’t rule out the possibility of any further live evidence, I am confident that any further evidence, if there is any, will not be lengthy.
I am expecting some additional written evidence where witnesses have been asked to provide it, and the last witness is a case in point, but this too will not be lengthy.
The next phase of the Inquiry is the preparation and submission by the Core Participants of their written closing submissions. They will be permitted to supplement them in oral submissions on 17 and 18 March in this building. I have directed that the written documents be submitted to the Inquiry legal team on or before 28 February and the timetable for the hearings will be set once we know how many people wish to speak and how long they expect to take.
The arrangements will be largely the same in March as they have been since September and there will be live links in accordance with the ruling that I gave in May of last year.
In the remarks at the beginning of this public hearing, I expressed my thanks to Liverpool City Council for making the Town Hall available to us. To that, I should add my profound thanks for the warmth of the welcome everyone connected with the Inquiry has received here from all those who work for the Council. They have helped make everything run very smoothly.
I would like to extend my thanks to the team of volunteers from the Coroners’ Court Support Service who, between them, have been here every day to provide support to anyone in the building who has needed it; a total of 23 volunteers who have come from across the North West and the Midlands to assist. It’s been public service of a very high order to give up so much time at the busiest, and then the coldest, time of the year. Thank you. Your kindness and good humour have been of great assistance to many who have passed through this Inquiry.
Finally, I thank all of those who have been present in this room and elsewhere doing a huge amount of work. The result has been that these hearings have been completed in accordance with the timetable. Thank you.
There is a great deal more to do, as you know. We will adjourn now and start again at 10 o’clock on 17 March 2025. Thank you, all.