Hillsborough families say plans for public advocate to help disaster victims come too late

Video report by Granada Reports correspondent Ann O'Connor

The government has agreed that people affected by major disasters should receive independent help from the state.

Justice secretary Dominic Raab MP said: "To put victims and bereaved at the heart of our response to large scale public disasters to make sure they get the support they deserve.

"What happened at Hillsborough was a monumental and devastating tragedy. The impact is still felt to this day.

"That was just the beginning of a 34-year ordeal. We must learn the lessons and make sure they never happen again."

However, campaigners have suggested the move is too little, too late.

One relative said: "We needed help after the inquests. We were just left alone to fend for ourselves."

It comes after attempts by a Liverpool MP to introduce her own Public Advocate Bill have been blocked 12 times in the House of Commons.

On the 12th occasion earlier in February, Maria Eagle asked whether ministers cared about "righting the terrible wrongs" of Hillsborough.

In 2018, the government consulted on the issue of a public advocate.

In a document seen by ITV News, Mr Raab told the families: "The overwhelming majority of respondents supported the establishment of an IPA and we have carefully considered the responses in developing our policy.

"I am sorry it has taken so long to get to this point, and I am determined to set up the IPA as soon as possible."

But Ms Eagle hit back, saying that she is concerned Mr Raab's plan is "weak" and does not go far enough.

She said: "It's going to allow for liaison, and some hand-holding and sign posting.

"But the proposal that the government have been objecting to, and have done so 12 times over the last two years in my bill, would actually allow the families to call in the public advocate should they wish.

"[My proposal] would give the public advocate the powers of a data controller to convene a panel like the Hillsborough Independent Panel to shine the light of transparency on what public authorities have been up to in the wake of a disaster, thus to torpedo cover-ups."

Louise Brookes, whose brother Andrew Mark Brookes was one of 97 Liverpool fans unlawfully killed as a result of the Hillsborough disaster, told ITV News that the government's announcement comes too late.

She said: "We needed help after the inquests. We were just left alone to fend for ourselves at (the criminal trials in) Preston. We had no legal representation.

"If it wasn’t for charity I would not have been able to have attended court for the criminal trial in relation to the death of my brother.

"There was no emotional support for us. I was commuting over 200 miles and living out of another hotel. My physical and mental health suffered significantly during the criminal trials."

The public advocate role is one strand of the proposed Hillsborough Law, which has been backed by the Labour Party.

Other measures would include a duty of candour for all police officers and public officials, meaning they must be open and honest when something goes wrong.

Mr Raab told the House of Commons: “The IPA will give victims, critically, a voice when they need it most.

“It will advocate on their behalf with public authorities and the government, for example, where they have concerns about engagement and the responsiveness of public authorities – whether it’s the police, local authorities and the like, or where victims and the bereaved want an investigation or an inquiry set up more swiftly to ensure maximum transparency.”

He said preparatory work to establish the IPA is “well under way”, adding: “We will place it on a statutory footing as soon as is possible.”

Mr Raab is understood to have met with the former Bishop of Liverpool, The Right Reverend James Jones KBE.

In 2017, the bishop authored a report, The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power, which confirmed the need for an independent public advocate and made 25 points of learning from the experiences of the Hillsborough families.

The government says it will comment on the document this Spring.

The shadow home secretary has labelled the lack of response so far as "shameful".

Following criticism of a lack of engagement from the government, Mr Raab has now offered to meet with the families.

Mr Raab said the public advocate would support injured victims and close family members of those who lose their lives as a result of a significant incident, or close friends where there is no close family member available.

Former civil servants, doctors, social workers, emergency workers, clergy and people with media-handling experience may be recruited to support the victims.

They would provide support, help them understand their rights, give continuity until the end of investigations, inquests or inquiries, and amplify the voices of victims to public authorities and the government.

He said they would feed back about areas of improvement and produce a final report detailing the support given and any lessons that could be learned to ensure victims are always put first.

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