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Manchester Arena Inquiry

Completed
Chair Sir John Saunders Judge / Judiciary
Established 07 Sep 2020
Final Report 02 Mar 2023
Commissioned by Home Office

Public inquiry into the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017, which killed 22 people and injured over 1,000 others.

Evidence & Impact
The Manchester Arena Inquiry was established following the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017 that killed 22 people. Sir John Saunders chaired the inquiry, which published its final report on 2 March 2023 containing 169 recommendations across emergency response, security arrangements, and preventability.

The government accepted 164 recommendations (97%) and accepted 5 in principle (3%). Home Secretary Suella Braverman stated in Parliament on 6 March 2023 that the government would 'carefully consider the report's findings and recommendations in full' and committed to ensuring lessons were learned. A recommendations tracking dashboard was subsequently published.

Progress updates from February 2026 indicate 78 recommendations (46%) are recorded as completed and 91 (54%) remain in progress. Key developments include the publication of Joint Operating Principles Version 3 for responding to marauding terrorist attacks, establishment of a multi-agency radio control system monitored 24/7 across emergency services, and introduction of the Ten Second Triage system for major incidents.

The Security Industry Authority has worked with the Health and Safety Executive to implement sector-specific first aid training incorporating the inquiry's recommendations. NHS England has updated Core Standards for emergency preparedness to include specific requirements for Hazardous Area Response Teams deployment within 15 minutes.

Several significant workstreams remain in development. The Clinical Response to Major Incidents programme has revised its timeline to 2027 due to resource constraints. Legislative changes regarding analgesia administration are at consultation stage. A healthcare standard for events is being drafted following completed research. The Cabinet Office is considering wider reforms to the Inquiries Act 2005.

Five local resilience forums have been selected for a Stronger LRF trailblazer programme launching in spring 2025 to test different models of strengthening accountability, leadership and assurance. Work continues on developing national events guidance, command and control approved professional practice, and a peer review protocol for local resilience forums.
Reforms Attributed to This Inquiry
- Joint Operating Principles (JOPs) Version 3 published and signed off by tri-services for Marauding Terrorist Attack response
- New multi-agency radio control talk group established, shared between police, fire and ambulance services and monitored 24/7
- Ten Second Triage system introduced for first responders at major incidents
- Security Industry Authority requirement for sector-specific Emergency First Aid at Work certificate including additional training areas
- NHS Core Standards for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) updated to include Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) deployment requirements
- Stronger Local Resilience Forum trailblazer programme launched in spring 2025 with five participating LRFs
- Public Access Trauma Kit contents clinically reviewed and published on PROTECT UK website
- New operational and tactical commanders training devised and launched to police forces
Unfinished Business
- Legislative changes on analgesia administration (consultation document being drafted)
- Review of Inquiries Act 2005 reforms (under consideration by Cabinet Office)
- National Events guidance (currently being developed)
- Healthcare standard for events (research complete, drafting begun)
- Command and control approved professional practice (APP) due for launch in 2025
- Clinical Response to Major Incidents (CRMI) programme timelines revised to 2027
- Operational discretion guidance (under national review)
- Peer review protocol for local resilience forums (proposals being developed)
Generated 18 Mar 2026 using claude-opus-4. Assessment is indicative, not authoritative.
2 years, 5 months Duration
£36.3m Total Cost
291 Witnesses
196 Hearing Days
1,346 Report Pages
Inquiry Website Official Statement Terms of Reference
Government Response
Accepted 164
Accepted in Part 5
Total Recommendations 169
Data last updated: 27 Feb 2026 · Source
Data verified: 25 Mar 2026 (import)
How to read this

Government Response tracks what the government said it would do (accepted, rejected, etc.).

Full methodology

2 debates 25 questions 16 statements since Sep 2020
Written Question Sports: Care Quality Commission
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative)
13 Mar 2026
Written Question Security Guards: Licensing
Melanie Onn (Labour)
11 Feb 2026
Written Ministerial Statement Consultation on Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations 7 and 8
Dan Jarvis (Labour)
18 Dec 2025
Written Ministerial Statement Consultation on Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations 7 and 8
Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour)
18 Dec 2025
Written Ministerial Statement Consultation on Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations 7 and 8
Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour)
15 Dec 2025
View all 46 mentions →
All Activity (46)
22 May 2017
Manchester Arena Attack

Terrorist attack at Manchester Arena killed 22 people.

22 Oct 2019
Inquiry Announced

Home Secretary announced a public inquiry.

Source
22 Oct 2019
Chair Appointed

Sir John Saunders appointed as Chair.

07 Sep 2020
Hearings Begin

Public hearings commenced.

17 Jun 2021
Volume 1 Published

Volume 1 report on security published.

Source
03 Nov 2022
Volume 2 Published

Volume 2 report on emergency response published.

Source
02 Mar 2023
Volume 3 Published

Final volume on radicalisation of the attacker published.

Source
08 Jun 2023
Government Response

Government published response accepting recommendations.

Source
Total Inquiry Cost (Cumulative) £36,323,455
to Aug 2023 Cumulative Total Oct 2019 - Aug 2023
Cost Breakdown (to Aug 2023)
Inquiry Legal Costs £12,933,544 Panel remuneration & Counsel to the Inquiry
Core Participant Legal Costs £12,025,040 Legal funding for core participants
Staff £2,253,186
Accommodation £2,319,627
Technology £5,344,006
Other £1,448,052
Total inquiry cost £36.32 million. Inquiry ran from Oct 2019 to June 2023. Chair: Sir John Saunders. Three volumes of reports published 2022-2023. S40 payments (Core Participant legal costs) totalled £12.03 million.
Cost History
Period Total Inquiry Legal CP Legal Source
Aug 2023 £433,226 £161,032 £50,193
Aug 2023 (cum.) £36,323,455 £12,933,544 £12,025,040
Mar 2023 £2,900,968 £1,518,494 £169,977
Mar 2022 £13,359,502 £4,525,677 £4,421,346
Mar 2021 £15,871,460 £4,700,572 £6,326,137
Mar 2020 £3,758,299 £2,027,769 £1,057,387
Clear

Recommendations (5)

MAI-1
Accepted
School-to-college records on radicalisation vulnerability
Recommendation
A clean start should be possible when a student moves from school to college or higher education, such that it would not be appropriate for a general file on significant behavioural problems to follow them at that point. However, there … Read more
Published evidence summary
The Department for Education has utilised an existing call for evidence on the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KSCIE) statutory guidance to gather views on passing on records of radicalisation vulnerability from school to college or higher education. A gov.uk progress update (February 2026) indicates that responses have been analysed and initial high-level discussions with Ministers have taken place, though further detail is needed.
Department for Education (Primary)
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MAI-52
Accepted
Consider Commission for Countering Extremism report
Recommendation

In 2021, the Commission for Countering Extremism published a report entitled Operating with Impunity. Hateful Extremism: The Need for a Legal Framework. I recommend that the Home Office consider and respond to this document as a matter of urgency.

Published evidence summary
A gov.uk progress update (February 2026) reports that this recommendation is completed. The Counter-Extremism sprint has concluded, and the Commission for Countering Extremism's report, 'Operating with Impunity,' informed its findings and subsequent recommendations that are now under consideration. The Home Secretary committed to carefully considering the report's findings and recommendations in March 2023 (Gov.uk, March 2023).
Home Office (Primary)
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MAI-54
Accepted
School records on radicalisation vulnerability
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Department for Education consider whether schools should include notes of any significant behavioural problems on the Common Transfer File, or some other suitable new form of record which follows a student if they move school. … Read more
Published evidence summary
A gov.uk progress update (February 2026) reports that the Department for Education utilized an existing call for evidence on the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KSCIE) statutory guidance to gather views from the sector regarding school records on radicalisation vulnerability. The responses have been analysed, and initial high-level discussions have taken place with ministers, with further detailed work planned.
Department for Education (Primary)
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MAI-55
Accepted
Risk-based visitor restrictions for radicalising prisoners
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Home Office consider introducing a system based on a robust assessment of the risk a prisoner poses for radicalisation of others. This system should allow for proportionate restrictions to be applied to visitors to that … Read more
Published evidence summary
A new Enhanced Contact Vetting Scheme (ECV) was introduced on 9 June 2025, operating under section 23 of the Authorised Communications Controls and Interceptions (ACCI) policy framework (gov.uk progress update, 27 Feb 2026). The ACCI Policy Framework, which provides rules and guidance for prison staff to manage prisoner communications, was published in September 2022 (gov.uk progress update, 14 Nov 2025). The ECV enables more vigorous checks and monitoring of visitors and communications for high-risk prisoners.
Home Office (Primary)
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MAI-60
Accepted
Record images of students with weapons
Recommendation
It is recommended to all educational establishments and the Department for Education that images of school pupils or college students handling firearms, explosives or other weapons that come to the attention of staff be recorded as a potential indicator of … Read more
Published evidence summary
The Department for Education utilised an existing call for evidence on the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KSCIE) statutory guidance to gather views from the sector to inform its response to this recommendation (gov.uk progress update, 27 Feb 2026). The responses to this call for evidence have been analysed (gov.uk progress update, 14 Nov 2025). However, there is no explicit evidence that the KSCIE guidance has been amended or that the recommended practice of recording images of students with weapons as a potential indicator of violent extremism has been implemented across educational establishments.
Department for Education (Primary)
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