Claimant law firm fires warning over “narrow focus” for Grenfell Tower inquiry

A leading claimant law firm has questioned whether the terms of reference for the Grenfell Tower inquiry will satisfy the Government’s legal obligations to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the fire.

Earlier this week Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the former appeal court judge, said he would focus his inquiry into the disaster on the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s response and on technical issues of design, construction and renovation.

Sir Martin said he recognised the strength of local feeling during consultation on his terms of reference that he should also inquire into the management and financing of social housing, but said these subjects were “not suitable for a judge-led inquiry”.

Responding to the announcement, Jocelyn Cockburn, joint head of the civil liberties team at Hodge Jones Allen, said: “It is seriously in doubt that these Terms of Reference will satisfy the Government’s legal obligations to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the Grenfell fire.

"The Chair should not be ruling out issues, at this early stage, which may prove to be relevant to the causes of the disaster, and this is only likely to further undermine the confidence of those affected, in the inquiry”.

Jayesh Kunwardia, a social housing partner at the firm, added: “I expect that our clients will be disappointed at the narrow focus the inquiry will now take. The Terms of Reference fall some way short of covering all of the relevant circumstances we had asked for in our consultation response.

"It’s particularly disappointing that the broader social questions raised by the fire and the adequacy of present housing standards will not form part of the inquiry.”