Acting in her role as guardian of the public interest, the
Attorney General QC MP has extended
the undertaking she granted to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
In broad terms, the extension to the undertaking means
legal persons cannot refuse to answer questions on the
basis that to do so would risk self-incrimination, which is
a right granted to them in law. It also means that their
answers cannot be used in evidence in any future
prosecution against them. However, the undertaking does not
provide any form of immunity from prosecution to any person
whatsoever.
A legal person is an entity which, like an individual
person, has its own legal obligations and rights. Examples
of what can amount to a legal person include a limited
liability partnership or an incorporated company.
In making the decision, the Attorney General took into
consideration all representations received including those
from victims and their representatives, the Crown
Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police. She has
since concluded that extending the undertaking will not
jeopardise the police investigation or the prospects of a
future criminal prosecution.
The Attorney General believes that the undertaking is
needed to enable the Inquiry to continue to hear vital
evidence about the circumstances and causes of the fire.
Without it she has concluded that some witnesses would be
likely to decline giving evidence.
Commenting on her decision, the Attorney General said:
“The bereaved, survivors and their relatives have been very
much in my mind in making my decision and I hope that the
extension to the undertaking helps them to find the truth
about the circumstances of the fire.
It is important to know that I am granting the extension in
the knowledge that it will not jeopardise any future
criminal investigation or prosecution and that it does not
offer anyone immunity from prosecution.”
A factsheet on the undertaking is attached. Factsheet on
Undertaking Extension provided by the Attorney
General (PDF, 357KB, 2
pages)
