This week, Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities & Local Government Committee renewed her call for the Government to introduce an independent National Oversight Mechanism. This body would ensure that recommendations from the Grenfell Tower inquiry, and other public inquiries, are implemented and not left to gather dust.
This follows the committee’s inquiry into Grenfell and building safety in March, where INQUEST’s Director, Deborah Coles, gave evidence alongside, Ed Daffarn (Grenfell United), Karim Khalloufi (Grenfell Next of Kin) and author and journalist, Pete Apps.
Evidence highlighted the Government’s failure to act on life-saving recommendations made by the Coroner following the Lakanal House fire in 2009, which killed six people and the need for a National Oversight Mechanism, to follow up on recommendations made in both inquests and inquiries to prevent future deaths.
In a powerful closing statement to the committee Ed Daffarn, on behalf of Grenfell United, ended with a request that ‘we don’t just sit back and let the Government miss this opportunity.’
The mechanism was also supported by the previous London Fire Brigade Commissioner, Andy Roe, who backed a ‘consolidated oversight mechanism’, and emphasised the importance of Prevention of Future Death reports (PFDs) from inquests.
In May, the committee subsequently wrote to the Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety. In their letter, the Committee warned that the Government’s current approach to implementing inquiry findings lacked sufficient oversight – and risked allowing vital changes to fall through the cracks.
The letter included Deborah Coles’ evidence, stressing that the Government’s failure to commit to an oversight mechanism to oversee the implementation of the recommendations would lead to a “dangerous accountability gap” and that bereaved people and survivors want ‘meaningful, structural change’.
In response, the Government pointed to Parliament’s existing role in scrutiny and referenced the Cross Government Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, introduced in July. While this new dashboard displays the progress of implementation of recommendations from the Grenfell and Infected Blood Inquiries, it excludes all inquiries prior to 2024.
Currently, there is no mechanism which holds state and corporate bodies to account for failing to act on recommendations they have accepted – even when inaction leads to further deaths.
A National Oversight Mechanism would change that. By drawing together recommendations from inquests, inquiries and select committees it would replace the fragmented and inconsistent approach currently in place, and drive the change needed to save lives.
Reiterating the urgent need for independent oversight, Florence Eshalomi MP said,
“The Government should do the right thing and introduce this independent mechanism, which will help reduce the risk of future governments repeating the catastrophic mistakes which have seen so many lose their lives in tragedies from Hillsborough to the infected blood scandal, to the Grenfell Tower fire itself.”
To support our No More Deaths campaign for a National Oversight Mechanism:
Learn more about the campaign
Write to your MP
Housing Committee Reiterates Call For A National Oversight Mechanism
This week, Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities & Local Government Committee renewed her call for the Government to introduce an independent National Oversight Mechanism. This body would ensure that recommendations from the Grenfell Tower inquiry, and other public inquiries, are implemented and not left to gather dust.
This follows the committee’s inquiry into Grenfell and building safety in March, where INQUEST’s Director, Deborah Coles, gave evidence alongside, Ed Daffarn (Grenfell United), Karim Khalloufi (Grenfell Next of Kin) and author and journalist, Pete Apps.
Evidence highlighted the Government’s failure to act on life-saving recommendations made by the Coroner following the Lakanal House fire in 2009, which killed six people and the need for a National Oversight Mechanism, to follow up on recommendations made in both inquests and inquiries to prevent future deaths.
In a powerful closing statement to the committee Ed Daffarn, on behalf of Grenfell United, ended with a request that ‘we don’t just sit back and let the Government miss this opportunity.’
The mechanism was also supported by the previous London Fire Brigade Commissioner, Andy Roe, who backed a ‘consolidated oversight mechanism’, and emphasised the importance of Prevention of Future Death reports (PFDs) from inquests.
In May, the committee subsequently wrote to the Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety. In their letter, the Committee warned that the Government’s current approach to implementing inquiry findings lacked sufficient oversight – and risked allowing vital changes to fall through the cracks.
The letter included Deborah Coles’ evidence, stressing that the Government’s failure to commit to an oversight mechanism to oversee the implementation of the recommendations would lead to a “dangerous accountability gap” and that bereaved people and survivors want ‘meaningful, structural change’.
In response, the Government pointed to Parliament’s existing role in scrutiny and referenced the Cross Government Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, introduced in July. While this new dashboard displays the progress of implementation of recommendations from the Grenfell and Infected Blood Inquiries, it excludes all inquiries prior to 2024.
Currently, there is no mechanism which holds state and corporate bodies to account for failing to act on recommendations they have accepted – even when inaction leads to further deaths.
A National Oversight Mechanism would change that. By drawing together recommendations from inquests, inquiries and select committees it would replace the fragmented and inconsistent approach currently in place, and drive the change needed to save lives.
Reiterating the urgent need for independent oversight, Florence Eshalomi MP said,
To support our No More Deaths campaign for a National Oversight Mechanism:
Learn more about the campaign
Write to your MP
Make a Donation
Every year, INQUEST supports hundreds of families bereaved by deaths involving the state. We are independent of government and entirely reliant on grants and donations to continue our vital work.
Support us and bereaved families in the fight for truth, justice and accountability by becoming a regular donor today.
Donate now
Related items
We’re supporting bereaved families and survivors and demanding truth, accountability and lasting change
We campaign for a National Oversight Mechanism to ensure life-saving recommendations made following inquests and inquiries are acted on and further deaths are prevented.
Subscribe to our newsletter
To receive the latest news from INQUEST straight into you inbox please subscribe. For examples of what you will receive, see our previous newsletters.