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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 published the final report on 2 March 2023, making 169 recommendations across emergency response, security arrangements, and public safety.

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 that 78 recommendations (46%) are recorded as completed and 91 (54%) remain in progress. Key developments documented include the publication of Joint Operating Principles Version 3 for responding to terrorist attacks, establishment of a new multi-agency radio control system, and introduction of the Ten Second Triage system for major incidents.

Several working groups and programmes have been established, including the Clinical Response to Major Incidents group and the Stronger Local Resilience Forum trailblazer programme. The Security Industry Authority has worked with the Health and Safety Executive to develop enhanced first aid training incorporating the inquiry's recommendations.

However, multiple recommendations show limited documented progress nearly three years after publication. Several relating to legislative changes, including extending Security Industry Authority licensing and reforms to the Inquiries Act 2005, remain under consideration. The development of a healthcare standard for events, while noted as progressing with research projects complete, is not due for publication until 2026. The Clinical Response to Major Incidents group has revised its timeline to 2027 due to resource constraints.

The Ministry of Justice has stated there are no current plans to increase maximum sentences under the Inquiries Act, despite this being recommended. Various guidance documents and approved professional practices are noted as being developed but have not yet been published according to the available evidence.
Reforms Attributed to This Inquiry
- Joint Operating Principles (JOPs) Version 3 published and signed off by tri-services following the inquiry, containing additional principles for responding to Marauding Terrorist Attacks
- New multi-agency radio control talk group established, shared between police, fire and ambulance services and monitored 24/7 in control rooms
- Ten Second Triage system introduced for first responders at major incidents, including appropriate visible identifiers and triage labels
- Sector-specific Emergency First Aid at Work certificate developed by Security Industry Authority with Health and Safety Executive, incorporating inquiry-recommended training areas
- Clinical Response to Major Incidents (CRMI) working group established to implement healthcare-related recommendations
- Public Access Trauma Kit contents clinically reviewed and finalised, with specifications published on PROTECT UK website
- New operational and tactical commanders training devised and launched to police forces
- Stronger Local Resilience Forum trailblazer programme launched in spring 2025 with five participating LRFs: Cumbria, Greater Manchester, London, Northumbria and Suffolk
Unfinished Business
- Recommendation on extending Security Industry Authority licensing requirements for CCTV monitoring and security contractors - noted as requiring legislative change but no evidence of progress
- Recommendations relating to reforms of the Inquiries Act 2005 - Cabinet Office noted as considering wider reforms but no specific action documented
- Recommendation to increase maximum sentence for Inquiries Act offences - Ministry of Justice stated there are no current plans to increase the maximum sentence
- Multiple recommendations relating to the development of a healthcare standard for events - research projects noted as complete but standard not yet published (due 2026)
- Legislative changes on analgesia - consultation document being drafted by Department of Health and Social Care but not yet published
- National Events guidance - noted as currently being developed but not yet published
- Command and control approved professional practice (APP) - due for launch in 2025 but not yet published
AI-generated narrative. Generated 26 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: 26 May 2026 (import)
How to read this

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

Full methodology

2 debates 27 questions 16 statements since Sep 2020
Early Day Motion Mountain rescue in Cumbria
Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat)
16 Apr 2026
Written Question Athletes: Health Services
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative)
10 Apr 2026
Written Question Health Professions: Culture and Sports
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative)
13 Mar 2026
Written Question Sports: Care Quality Commission
Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative)
13 Mar 2026
Written Question Security Guards: Licensing
Melanie Onn (Labour)
11 Feb 2026
View all 49 mentions →
All Activity (49)
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 Government's implementation dashboard records this recommendation as accepted in full with delivery status "In progress" (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Department for Education stated that it utilised the existing call for evidence on the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance and has analysed responses, with initial discussions held with Ministers (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Department stated it is awaiting broader steers on the new government's approach to KCSIE to inform how it incorporates the Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
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
- The Government's implementation dashboard records this recommendation as accepted in full with delivery status "Completed" (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Home Office stated that the Counter-Extremism sprint has concluded and the Commission for Countering Extremism's report helped inform its findings (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
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
- The Government's implementation dashboard records this recommendation as accepted in full with delivery status "In progress" (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Department for Education stated it has analysed responses from the KCSIE call for evidence and had initial discussions with Ministers (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Department is awaiting broader steers on the new government's approach to KCSIE (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
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
- The Government's implementation dashboard records this recommendation as accepted in full with delivery status "Completed" (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Enhanced Contact Vetting Scheme (ECV) was introduced on 9 June 2025 under the Authorised Communications Controls and Interceptions policy framework (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- ECV limits terrorist prisoners to a maximum of 20 social contacts, all subject to identification checks and Counter Terrorism Police vetting (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- ECV replaces the previously intended Approved Contacts Scheme that never came into force (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
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 Government's implementation dashboard records this recommendation as accepted in full with delivery status "Completed" (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
- The Department for Education stated it has analysed responses from the KCSIE call for evidence (Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, Cabinet Office, February 2026).
Department for Education (Primary)
View Details