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Grenfell Tower fire: Public inquiry hearings to start Grenfell Tower fire: Public inquiry hearings begin
(about 1 hour later)
Two days of hearings will begin later to establish the framework of the Grenfell Tower fire public inquiry. The chairman of the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire is holding two days of hearings into how it will work.
Its chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, will look into the best way for witnesses to give evidence. Sir Martin Moore-Bick will examine the best way for witnesses to the disaster to give evidence.
This week survivors and bereaved families will mark the six-month anniversary of the tower block fire, which killed 71 people. Survivors and bereaved families are this week marking the six-month anniversary of the fire, which killed 71 people.
A residents' group said only 42 families of the 208 needing re-housing had been moved to permanent homes. Only 42 of the 208 families needing rehousing due to the blaze have so far been moved to permanent homes.
The hearings, at the Holborn Bars in central London, will deal with case management issues, such as proposed timescales, matters concerning witnesses and the disclosure of evidence. Mohammed Rasoul and his family - including two young children and his 86-year-old father, who has dementia - are still living in a hotel room.
Survivors are calling for Sir Martin to give them a more central role in the inquiry and for the community to be represented on the panel. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's a struggle. In the beginning, immediately after the fire, you think hotels will be comfortable for a while. The novelty soon wears off after a week... when you feel restricted in what you can do.
The retired judge has already appointed three assessors to advise on housing, local government and technical matters, and five expert witnesses on fire safety. "You feel like you're a prisoner living in here. The children are very limited in the space they can play in."
'Disgrace' Mr Rasoul is pessimistic about the various inquiries taking place into what happened, including the police investigation.
Last week, survivors' group Grenfell United said 118 families that needed re-housing would still be in emergency accommodation over Christmas or staying with friends. "I personally have lost confidence in our justice system. I hope they can prove me wrong but it doesn't look like people are going to be held accountable."
It said that a further 48 households had accepted offers for permanent housing, but have still not been moved in, leaving them in temporary accommodation. Three days after the fire, the prime minister twice stated - unprompted - in a BBC interview that all those affected would be rehoused within three weeks.
It comes as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the government of "failing" survivors of the 14 June blaze, with more than 100 still living in hotels. But last week, survivors' group Grenfell United said 118 families would still be in emergency accommodation over Christmas or staying with friends.
It said a further 48 households had accepted offers for permanent housing - but have still not been moved in, leaving them in temporary accommodation.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the government of "failing" survivors of the blaze.
"It is a disgrace that the majority of Grenfell residents have still not been given homes and that tower blocks across our country have still not been made safe," he said."It is a disgrace that the majority of Grenfell residents have still not been given homes and that tower blocks across our country have still not been made safe," he said.
A government spokesman said it expected the local authority - Kensington and Chelsea - to do "whatever is necessary" to help families, but said the council was moving "at the pace of the families and individuals involved." But Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, defended the council's actions.
He added: "Hundreds of homes have been acquired to give people as much choice as a possible - nobody will be forced to move until they are ready." "We have got an army of people out there working 24 hours a day, seven days a week because we actually really do care, we do want to get people rehoused," she told Today.
Sir Martin wants to produce an initial report explaining the immediate cause and spread of the Grenfell Tower fire, along with an assessment of the evacuation process. "We have been buying homes in this part of London at a rate of about two a day."
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has now announced its own investigation, examining if authorities failed in their legal obligations to residents. She said "every family" in a hotel had been offered "alternative accommodation" - but many had refused "for perfectly understandable reasons".
Acknowledging a "lack of trust" in the council among survivors, she said some families felt "if we take up an offer, we're out of a hotel, we will go down the list of priorities, we will be forgotten about."
Memorial service
The inquiry hearings on Monday and Tuesday, at the Holborn Bars in central London, will deal with case management issues, such as proposed timescales, matters concerning witnesses and the disclosure of evidence.
Sir Martin wants to produce an initial report explaining the immediate cause and spread of the fire and an assessment of the evacuation process.
Survivors are calling for him to give them a more central role in the inquiry and for the community to be represented on the panel.
The retired judge has already appointed three assessors to advise on housing, local government and technical matters, and five expert witnesses on fire safety.
As the inquiry begins, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) announced its own investigation examining whether authorities failed in their legal obligations to residents.
It will also look at whether the government has adequately investigated the fire - including looking into the public inquiry - and expects to conclude its work in April.It will also look at whether the government has adequately investigated the fire - including looking into the public inquiry - and expects to conclude its work in April.
The six-month anniversary of the tragedy will be marked on Thursday with a national memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral.The six-month anniversary of the tragedy will be marked on Thursday with a national memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral.
Attendees will include the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.Attendees will include the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.