Hillsborough disaster: Report reply expected in spring - Home Office

Ninety-seven Liverpool fans died as a result of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster

The government is expected to respond to the Hillsborough report in the spring, a minister has said.

The report, published in 2017, proposed a "substantial change in the culture of public bodies" after consulting with the families of the disaster victims.

It comes as police forces apologised for "profound failings" which have "blighted" relatives of those who died.

Home Office Minister Chris Philp said he had asked for work on the reply to be "sped up".

Ninety-seven Liverpool supporters died as a result of the April 1989 disaster at Sheffield's Hillsborough ground.

They were unlawfully killed amid a number of police errors, an inquest jury ruled in 2016.

The National Police Chiefs Council and the College of Policing admitted "policing got it badly wrong" in the aftermath of the fatal stadium crush and said a range of key lessons had been learned.

It was the first reply from a major public body to the report, published by former Bishop of Liverpool James Jones.

Bishop James Jones said "a change in attitude" was needed to ensure the "pain and suffering" of the families was not repeated

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper questioned the absence from the Commons of Home Secretary Suella Braverman, adding it was "a devastating failure of responsibility and respect" to the Hillsborough families "not to be here to respond".

Responding to a question about the police response, Mr Philp said: "The government is fully committed to engaging with the Hillsborough families prior to the publication of the government's formal response."

The minister said since his arrival in the Home Office he had "asked for this work to be sped up and we are expecting it to come out in the course of this spring".

• Timeline of the Hillsborough stadium disaster

• Hillsborough families profoundly failed, say police

• Home Office apologises to Hillsborough families

Mr Philp added that he welcomed the response from police.

"They made clear that strong ethical values, the need for humanity and humility in the police response to public tragedies is critical," he added.

"And one of the commitments they made rightly earlier this week is to substantially strengthen and update their own code of ethics in relation to these issues."

Police chiefs admitted "policing got it badly wrong" in the aftermath of the 1989 stadium disaster

There have been growing calls for a Hillsborough Law, which would help victims of future disasters and atrocities.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said on Tuesday that legislation was a matter for Parliament.

• Hillsborough Law would be 'valuable legacy to 97'

• 'Culture change' call after Hillsborough

• Mayors urge MPs to back Hillsborough Law

He said: "What we have really focused on is doing that which is really within our power.

"The issue of candour is very clear within the charter for bereaved families and it will be incorporated explicitly in the review of the code of ethics."

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