It has taken decades to get to thispoint – and that has been a big frustration for campaigners. In other countries - from France toJapan - investigations into the medical disaster were completed many years ago.In some cases, criminal charges were brought against doctors, politicians andother officials.
There have been previous inquiries.One was led by Labour peer Lord Archer of Sandwell and was privately funded. But it held no official status andwas unable to compel witnesses to testify or require the disclosure ofdocuments.
Meanwhile, the Penrose Inquiry, aseven-year investigation launched by the Scottish government, was criticised asa whitewash when it was published in 2015. Greater Manchester Mayor and formerhealth secretary Andy Burnham claimed in the House of Commons in 2017 that a"criminal cover-up on an industrial scale" had taken place. The government only announced therewould be an inquiry when it faced a possible defeat on an emergency motion toestablish an inquiry.
The then-Prime Minister Theresa Mayordered this UK-wide public inquiry in the summer of 2017. Politicians, campaigners, doctors, and victims are among those who gave evidence to the inquiry. Here are a few important moments: The inquiry’s report is thought to be more than 2,000 pages long across multiple volumes.
But most attention will focus on a number of key questions. Was there a cover-up? Greater Manchester Mayor and former health secretary Andy Burnham thinks so – in 2017 he told the House of.