Hillsborough disaster panel seven named

WORK to publish documents which could shed more light on the Hillsborough disaster is set to begin after the Government revealed who will sit on the panel to oversee the project.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Jan 2010, 11:55 BST
Updated 27th Jan 2010, 11:56 BST

Police files and documents from the Government and local authorities could be among those released after the Government agreed to open them to families of the 96 victims and the public.

Bishop of Liverpool the Right Rev James Jones had already been named as chairman of the panel which will oversee the release of the documents, and yesterday Home Secretary Alan Johnson named seven more experts who will take part.

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"That over 30,000 people attended the service marking the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough in April shows how deep the wound in Liverpool remains," said Mr Johnson, MP for Hull West and Hessle. "I believe the independent panel has an historic opportunity to bring healing to those affected by the tragedy, and that its establishment can help to begin to bring an end to the grievances strongly felt by many."

The seven members of the Hillsborough Independent Panel are: Public information expert Christine Gifford; TV producer and researcher Katy Jones; former deputy chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Paul Leighton; academic criminologist Professor Phil Scraton; former associate medical director at the Department of Health Dr Bill Kirkup; broadcaster Peter Sissons; and archivist Sarah Tyacke.

They will have to oversee the release of reams of documents relating to the 1989 disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans died at the FA Cup Semi Final against Nottingham Forest.

Some documents may still be withheld or edited because of legal restraints, although the "fundamental principles" are full disclosure.

Related topics:GovernmentWorkLiverpool