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Cranston Inquiry

Completed
Chair Sir Ross Cranston Judge / Judiciary
Established 11 Jan 2024
Final Report 05 Feb 2026
Commissioned by Home Office

Inquiry into the search and rescue response to the English Channel small boat tragedy on 24 November 2021, in which over 30 people died.

2 years Duration
£6.8m Total Cost
Inquiry Website Terms of Reference
Government Response
Awaiting Response 18
Total Recommendations 18
Data verified: 23 Mar 2026 (import)
How to read this

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

Full methodology

1 question 4 statements since Sep 2018
Written Ministerial Statement Report of the Cranston Inquiry
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Labour)
05 Feb 2026
Written Ministerial Statement Report of the Cranston Inquiry
Heidi Alexander (Labour)
05 Feb 2026
Written Question Undocumented Migrants: English Channel
Mr Will Forster (Liberal Democrat)
18 Dec 2025
Written Ministerial Statement Inquiry into the Channel Incident of November 24, 2021 (Cranston Inquiry)
Mr Mark Harper (Conservative)
11 Jan 2024
Written Ministerial Statement Inquiry into the Channel Incident of November 24, 2021 (Cranston Inquiry)
Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative)
11 Jan 2024
View all 7 mentions →
All Activity (7)
Title Volume Publication Date Recs Links
The Cranston Inquiry Report - 05 Feb 2026 18
09 Nov 2023
Inquiry Announced
11 Jan 2024
Inquiry Established
11 Jan 2024
Terms of Reference Set

Inquiry established to examine the search and rescue response to the Channel tragedy of 24 November 2021.

Source
05 Feb 2026
Final Report Published

The Cranston Inquiry final report published, containing 18 recommendations for HM Coastguard, Department for Transport, Home Office, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Source
Total Inquiry Cost (Cumulative) £6,849,591
to Dec 2025 Cumulative expenditure Apr 2024 - Dec 2025
Cost Breakdown (to Dec 2025)
Inquiry Legal Costs £3,047,062 Panel remuneration & Counsel to the Inquiry
Core Participant Legal Costs £1,126,106 Legal funding for core participants
Staff £1,261,239
Accommodation £376,672
Technology £969,082
Other £69,430
Cumulative total calculated from End of FY 2024-2025 report plus Q1-Q3 2025-2026 quarterly reports. Inquiry established 11 Jan 2024, first financial data from Apr 2024. Non-statutory inquiry into Channel small boat tragedy (24 Nov 2021). Sponsored by Department for Transport. Chaired by Sir Ross Cranston. Legal costs include Chair remuneration, Counsel and solicitor fees. Accommodation covers hearing venue, AV, translation, witness support. Technology covers IT, evidence management, accommodation rent, travel. Other covers expert advisers, specialist services, family meetings. All figures exclude VAT. Inquiry ongoing (Q4 data not yet published).
Cost History
Period Total Inquiry Legal CP Legal Source
Dec 2025 £271,318 £176,062 £6,963
Dec 2025 (cum.) £6,849,591 £3,047,062 £1,126,106
Sep 2025 £903,243 £379,211 £348,919
Jun 2025 £881,207 £555,979 -
Mar 2025 £4,793,823 £1,935,810 £770,224

Recommendations (18)

CR1
Response Pending
Network flexing risk mitigation
Recommendation
Given the risks associated with HM Coastguard's use of network flexing for small boat search and rescue – whereby its workforce is split between different geographical locations – HM Coastguard must ensure the effectiveness of measures in mitigating them (including … Read more
Published evidence summary
Publicly available GOV.UK search results indicate content related to 'network flexing risk', which is the subject of this recommendation. However, specific details of measures taken by HM Coastguard to mitigate these risks and their assessed effectiveness are not provided in the available evidence.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR2
Response Pending
Technology for duplicate incident reconciliation
Recommendation
HM Coastguard should seek, at pace, to invest in the technology required to support its ability to reconcile duplicate small boat incidents. Where this cannot be accommodated within the existing budgets of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Department for … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding investment in technology by HM Coastguard to support the reconciliation of duplicate small boat incidents, or any additional funding provided by the Department for Transport for this purpose.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR3
Response Pending
Regular assessment of assets and resources
Recommendation
There should be regular assessments by HM Coastguard of the adequacy of the available assets and human resources to respond to both current and reasonably foreseeable levels of small boat activity. Where the forecast level of resourcing need cannot be … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding regular assessments by HM Coastguard of the adequacy of its assets and human resources to respond to small boat activity, or any escalation of resourcing needs to the Department for Transport.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR4
Response Pending
Training on normalcy bias
Recommendation

HM Coastguard should provide frequent training and retraining for their staff in aspects of search and rescue specific to small boats, one being the need to avoid normalcy bias, in particular, assumptions about exaggeration in calls from small boats.

Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding HM Coastguard providing frequent training and retraining for staff on aspects of search and rescue specific to small boats, including the need to avoid normalcy bias.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR5
Response Pending
Mass Persons in Water Triage procedure
Recommendation
Those involved in maritime search and rescue should adopt formally the Mass Persons in the Water Triage procedure to govern the operational response to a maritime search and rescue incident when the number of people requiring rescue exceeds the capability … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the formal adoption of the Mass Persons in the Water Triage procedure by those involved in maritime search and rescue to govern operational responses.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR6
Response Pending
Joint exercises on triage procedure
Recommendation

Those involved in maritime search and rescue should continue to undertake joint exercises on the application of the Mass Persons in the Water Triage procedure.

Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the continued undertaking of joint exercises on the application of the Mass Persons in the Water Triage procedure by those involved in maritime search and rescue.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR7
Response Pending
IMO recommendation on triage tool
Recommendation

The Department for Transport must consider recommending to the International Maritime Organization that it consider incorporating an in-water mass casualty triage tool within its policies and procedures.

Published evidence summary
No specific published evidence has been identified to confirm that the Department for Transport has recommended to the International Maritime Organization the incorporation of an in-water mass casualty triage tool within its policies and procedures. The provided search results indicate general content on GOV.UK related to "IMO recommendation triage" but do not detail specific actions or outcomes.
Department for Transport (Primary)
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CR8
Response Pending
Survivability advice to persons in distress
Recommendation

HM Coastguard should amend its existing policies to incorporate the need to provide more comprehensive advice about survivability to people in distress at sea.

Published evidence summary
No specific published evidence has been identified to confirm that HM Coastguard has amended its policies to provide more comprehensive survivability advice to people in distress at sea. While GOV.UK search results indicate content related to "survivability advice persons", no specific policy documents or amendments are detailed in the provided information.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR9
Response Pending
Cold water survivability modelling
Recommendation
HM Coastguard should examine whether it is using the most appropriate modelling for survivability in cold water. HM Coastguard should amend its existing policies to ensure that they consistently identify the key variables about which information is to be collected … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific published evidence has been identified to confirm that HM Coastguard has examined its cold water survivability modelling or amended its policies regarding information collection from people in the water. The provided GOV.UK search results show general content related to "cold water survivability" but do not specify any policy changes or examination outcomes.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR10
Response Pending
Equipment and techniques development
Recommendation

HM Coastguard must continue to liaise with search and rescue partners in the UK and abroad to identify opportunities for the development or deployment of equipment and techniques to assist in search and rescue operations.

Published evidence summary
Publicly available GOV.UK search results indicate content related to 'equipment techniques development', which is relevant to this recommendation. However, specific details of HM Coastguard's liaison with search and rescue partners or identified opportunities for equipment and techniques development are not provided in the available evidence.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR11
Response Pending
Coastguard role in legislation
Recommendation

The role and functions of HM Coastguard should be set out in up-to-date legislation.

Published evidence summary
Publicly available GOV.UK search results indicate content related to 'coastguard role legislation'. However, the available evidence does not specify any new or updated legislation that sets out the role and functions of HM Coastguard, nor does it provide details from the Department for Transport on this matter.
Department for Transport (Primary)
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CR12
Response Pending
Independent external oversight body
Recommendation
An independent external body should be given responsibility for the regular assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of HM Coastguard. Consideration should be given to extending the remit of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services as … Read more
Published evidence summary
Publicly available GOV.UK search results indicate content related to 'independent external oversight'. However, the available evidence does not specify the establishment of an independent external body for assessing HM Coastguard's effectiveness and efficiency, nor does it detail any extension of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services' remit for this purpose.
Department for Transport (Primary)
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CR13
Response Pending
Reconsider Border Force SAR function
Recommendation
The government should reconsider Mr Downer's recommendation in his independent review of Border Force that Border Force Maritime should not be providing an ongoing search and rescue function in the English Channel, with the result that HM Coastguard would assume … Read more
Published evidence summary
Publicly available GOV.UK search results indicate content related to 'reconsider border force'. However, the available evidence does not provide specific details from the Home Office regarding a reconsideration of Border Force Maritime's search and rescue function in the English Channel or any transfer of responsibility for surface assets to HM Coastguard.
Home Office (Primary)
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CR14
Response Pending
MoU between Coastguard and Border Force
Recommendation

For so long as the current arrangements in relation to search and rescue in the English Channel remain in place, the roles and responsibilities of HM Coastguard and Border Force should be set out in a memorandum of understanding.

Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the establishment of a memorandum of understanding between HM Coastguard and Border Force to set out their roles and responsibilities for search and rescue in the English Channel.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR15
Response Pending
Joint training exercises plan
Recommendation

HM Coastguard should develop and implement a plan for joint training exercises, to occur at set intervals, with participation by those involved in maritime search and rescue in the English Channel and elsewhere.

Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the development and implementation of a plan by HM Coastguard for joint training exercises involving maritime search and rescue participants in the English Channel and elsewhere.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR16
Response Pending
Mass rescue operation plan
Recommendation

HM Coastguard should develop a mass rescue operation plan that includes command and control, co-ordination, external stakeholders, medical and law enforcement roles, and public and external affairs.

Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the development of a mass rescue operation plan by HM Coastguard, including details on command and control, co-ordination, external stakeholders, medical, law enforcement, and public affairs roles.
HM Coastguard (Primary)
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CR17
Response Pending
Protocol for duty to assist referrals
Recommendation
HM Coastguard and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency should establish a protocol for referrals by HM Coastguard to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's regulatory compliance investigations team, identifying the threshold for making a referral on a potential breach by a … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the establishment of a protocol between HM Coastguard and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for referrals concerning potential breaches of the duty to render assistance by vessels.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Primary)
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CR18
Response Pending
MAIB publication of implementation measures
Recommendation
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch should make publicly available on its website, as soon as possible after they are received, the details of implementation measures taken by those to whom a recommendation is addressed, or an explanation for not taking … Read more
Published evidence summary
No specific publicly available evidence has been identified regarding the Marine Accident Investigation Branch making details of implementation measures publicly available on its website, or any amendments to the 2012 Regulations to facilitate this.
Marine Accident Investigation Branch (Primary)
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