Latest news with #publicInquiry
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Families sue MoD for answers over 1994 Chinook crash that killed 29
Families of the 29 people killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre are launching legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. The families, united as the Chinook Justice Campaign, believe a High Court judge should review previously unexamined information that could shed light on the helicopter's airworthiness, alleging the government is breaching human rights obligations by failing to order an inquiry. Solicitor Mark Stephens, representing the families, asserts the MoD failed to apply appropriate safeguards, putting passengers and crew on a known dangerous aircraft, leading to the call for a judicial review into the government's failure to hold a public inquiry. Following the crash, the Chinook's pilots were initially accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned 17 years later; a subsequent review highlighted concerns about the Chinook Mk2 helicopters' airworthiness prior to the crash. The families want answers about the circumstances of the crash, questioning who made the decision to allow the helicopter to take off and what information is being hidden, while the MoD claims early release of sealed documents would breach data protection rights.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
MoD facing human rights lawsuit over Chinook crash
The Ministry of Defence is facing a human rights lawsuit over the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre 30 years ago that killed 29 people. The families of those who died have said they are beginning legal action against the MoD for not ordering a public inquiry. They want a High Court judge to review information which they say was not included in previous investigations, and which they believe will shed new light on the airworthiness of the helicopter. RAF Chinook ZD576 was carrying 25 British intelligence personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near Inverness when it crashed in foggy weather on June 2 1994. All 25 passengers – made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army – were killed, along with four crew members. The families of the victims, who have formed the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry was a breach of the Government's human rights obligations. In a letter to the Government 31 years after the crash, the group said: 'The investigations conducted to date, whether considered individually or in combination, have failed to discharge the investigative duty.' They have also called for the release of documents that were sealed at the time of the crash for 100 years, something revealed in a BBC documentary last year. Mark Stephens, the solicitor representing the families, said: 'In this case, the families of those who were killed have seen more than enough evidence to convince them, and us, that there was a failure by the MoD to apply appropriate safeguards in order to protect the passengers and crew. 'In fact, they were put on board an aircraft that was known to be positively dangerous and should never have taken off. 'That is why we are seeking a judicial review into the Government's failure to hold a public inquiry – which the families have sought for more than a year.' Following the crash, the Chinook's pilots, Flt Lt Richard Cook and Flt Lt Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the government 17 years later, following a campaign by the families. A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out 'numerous concerns' raised by those who worked on the Chinooks, with the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declaring the Chinook Mk2 helicopters 'unairworthy' prior to the crash. In 2010, it was reported that faulty computer software could have led to the crash. Esme Sparks, who was seven when her father Maj Gary Sparks was killed in the crash, said: 'We don't want to have to take legal action against the Government and MoD but we do want and need answers surrounding the circumstance of this crash. 'We want to know who or what is being protected? Who made the decision to let this helicopter take off? What is being hidden? In our view, a public inquiry is key.' The MoD said that records held in the National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection rights. An MoD spokesman said: 'The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.'
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Nottingham needs powerful voice in attacks inquiry'
Survivors of the Nottingham attacks have written to city MPs to create a "powerful voice on the national stage" amid the public inquiry, their solicitor has Calocane stabbed students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, to death before striking three pedestrians with a van, seriously injuring them, on 13 June scope of the public inquiry, which will make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future, was published by the government last week, marking its official Almond, from Rothera Bray Solicitors, is representing two of the three survivors and said the city needed a "co-ordinated approach" to the probe. Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller, along with Marcin Gawronski, survived being struck by a van which Calocane stole from Mr Coates but were left with life-changing who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia before the attacks, was sentenced to a hospital order in January 2024 after admitting three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted case has prompted a number of reviews, including a mental health homicide review commissioned by NHS this year the families of Mr Webber, Ms O'Malley-Kumar and Mr Coates, alongside Ms Miller and Mr Birkett, were invited to Downing Street to discuss the details on the by retired judge Her Honour Deborah Taylor, it will examine the management of Calocane's risk to others, the events on the day of the attacks and timeline of incidents of unauthorised accessing of information of public its terms of reference, Mr Almond said: "They hopefully will ensure that we get the answers that we need, both for my clients and for the people of Nottingham." Mr Birkett and Ms Miller have written to Nottingham MPs and East Midlands mayor Claire Ward to ask for a meeting to create a "joined-up approach" and ensure recommendations from the inquiry are implemented."I think that's what Nottingham needs, so that there is a joined up approach from the various elected leaders," said Mr Almond said the public inquiry was "very important" to Mr Birkett and Ms Miller so they "can move forward with their lives".He added: "They want to draw a line under this terrible incident that's affected them completely unexpectedly, they were just on the way to work."They want to try and hopefully get back to work if they can, and try and live a normal life."
CBC
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
SAAQclic inquiry reveals massive jumps in hourly wages, tailor-made calls for tender
Several noteworthy revelations are emerging from the public inquiry into the disastrous rollout of Quebec's automobile insurance board's online platform — SAAQclic.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Ministers order officials to get down cost and time of public inquiries as Covid probe bill soars
MINISTERS are ordering officials to get future public inquiry costs down, as estimates show the Covid probe will cost taxpayers £227million. They want victims to get answers much faster from hearings. Cabinet Office chief Pat McFadden has told officials to draw up options. 5 5 Labour MPs said he was 'taken aback' by how long the bloated Covid inquiry was taking compared to other countries. The Cabinet Office minister told them he wants 'quicker justice for victims so it doesn't take years and cost a fortune to get them the answers they deserve'. A Labour MP told The Sun on Sunday: 'It's outrageous how much the Covid inquiry is costing and how long it's taking. It hasn't even taken evidence from people who made billions from PPE.' The inquiry, launched in June 2022, is set to continue hearing evidence into March 2026 with the next report scheduled for Autumn. In comparison, Sweden's Covid inquiry reported in February 2022. New figures by the TaxPayers' Alliance estimate the UK's probe is costing £158,269 a day, making it the most expensive inquiry in British history. 5 5 John O'Connell, chief executive of TPA, called on ministers to look at slapping a spending cap on the inquiry. He said: "Five years on from the pandemic and yet Brits are still waiting on the Covid inquiry to wrap up, in what is a damning indictment of the speed and agility of the British state.' Last year a House of Lords report found public inquiries take too long and often do not lead to change. 5 A spokesperson for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry dismissed the TPA's projections saying they had spent £160.4million so far. They added: 'The inquiry is moving quickly to learn lessons and better protect the UK.' Officials are set to begin its latest set of hearings on test, trace and isolate next week.
