Editorial
“Here we go again, Happy as can be, All good friends, And jolly good company” is a positive, uplifting little song I recall from my childhood. Now when I say the words “Here we again itself it is usually because I feel dismayed and my spirits have dropped. What causes these emotions? Well hearing or reading phrases like, “Your call is important to us”, “You are forty-ninth in the queue,” or worse still ”Lessons have been learnt,” and “A public inquiry will be held…”
The last two are worse because lessons do not appear to be learned and a public inquiry always seems to take so long. “Will I still be here to see its conclusions?” I ask myself.
The most recent public inquiry is in the news again! The Post Office Scandal. It began when between 1999 and 2015, 700 subpostmasters were charged with theft, false accounting and fraud. A statutory inquiry began in 2021. “Mr Bates vs The Post Office”, drama shown on ITV in early 2024 really helped to promote the injustice of this scandal and the deceit of some of those in charge who should have known better. And still it rumbles on because of the way compensation is being assessed. A select committee report says that the redress schemes were “poorly designed” and payments were still not “fast enough”. It found that the application procedure was akin to a second trial for some of the victims and lawyers were making millions whilst the money set aside for redress was still not being paid out. The Post Office has spent £136million relating to redress schemes and government data shows that only £499million of the £1.8billion set aside has been paid out to claimants. The inquiry’s report come some time in 2025. Who if anyone will be prosecuted then?
Have other recent public inquiries fared better? What about the infected blood donations of the 1970s and 80s which cause HIV or hepatitis B or C in recipients? The public inquiry was set up by Teresa May in 2017 and its report was published in May 2024. The IBCA (Infected Blood Compensation Authority) issued a statement saying that it had agreed with the Cabinet Office to pay the first infected person by the end of 2024, the bulk of those infected by the end of 2027 but those affected by the end of 2029. Over 40 years since infection.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry of 2017 has been quicker in its deliberations. Phases 1 and 2 in which the roles of those involved and maybe to blame were scrutinised were completed in 2019 and 2024. Criminal trials are expected to begin in 2027. The inquiry cost £178 million.
How are those Grenfell Tower ex-residents seeking compensation faring today? In 2023 £150 million was awarded across 900 cases. By August 2024 most families had been rehoused and some rehoused again because of mental health problems. The trials may however cause more mental anguish. 10 years since the fire.
What a huge chunk out of your life if you are a victim or claimant? One can only empathise with those unfortunate people. AND make our views known to those in authority. Public Inquiries do seem to take a long time. They need of course to be fair and hear all the evidence. I must be patient and remember that at least in the UK we do have Public Inquiries.
RO
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