Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to the families of Hillsborough disaster victims.

The points of learning made by Bishop James Jones in his report span a number of government departments and organisations who are considering their respective responses. The Home Office is coordinating those responses and the Government will therefore provide a full response in due course. In doing so we must be mindful that nothing is done which might prejudice the ongoing criminal proceedings.

With those proceedings underway, it is important that the Hillsborough families continue receiving support and arrangements are in place to allow this to be maintained.

The Crown Prosecution Service will keep the families informed regarding developments with trials and court hearings. Hillsborough families will also be entitled to support offered by the Government-funded court-based Witness Service, which provides emotional and practical support, advice and information, regardless of whether or not they are witnesses.