The Inquiry continues to work towards public hearings commencing in November 2021 and will provide more information on the schedule for those hearings in due course.
Core Participants
The Chair has now designated a total of 18 individuals and organisations as Core Participants in the Inquiry. Most recently designating “DS” and “NAO”, who were individuals detained at Brook House in the relevant period, as Core Participants. The Chair’s determinations can be found on the Inquiry’s website, along with an updated list of all the Inquiry’s Core Participants.
Witness statements
The Inquiry has requested witness statements from a number of individuals who were detained at Brook House and from G4S staff (including Detention Custody Officers and Managers, and Healthcare staff who worked for G4S Health Services). We have also requested statements from the Home Office, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, G4S and G4S Health Services.
Experts
The Chair has now instructed an additional expert, Mr Jonathan Collier, to assist her in respect of the ‘Use of Force’ at Brook House. Mr Collier will be assisting the Inquiry by considering the training of staff members in Control and Restraint/Use of Force techniques during the relevant period. Mr Collier’s opinion will be sought on individual instances of Use of Force for which we have video footage or other evidence. He will also be asked to comment on the recording and follow-up of Use of Force incidents.
Disclosure and Evidence
The Inquiry has received approximately 40,000 documents, amounting to around about 250,000 pages of material and is continuing the process of reviewing, assessing relevance, and applying appropriate redactions to documents in accordance with the Inquiry’s redaction protocol. The Inquiry is making disclosure to Core Participants on a regular basis and to date has disclosed over 18,400 pages of material to Core Participants.
In addition, the Inquiry has now received unbroadcast video footage that it requested from the BBC and is making progress in reviewing this material.