It has taken decades to get to this
point – and that has been a big frustration for campaigners.

In other countries – from France to
Japan – investigations into the medical disaster were completed many years ago.
In some cases, criminal charges were brought against doctors, politicians and
other officials.

There have been previous inquiries.
One was led by Labour peer Lord Archer of Sandwell and was privately funded.

But it held no official status and
was unable to compel witnesses to testify or require the disclosure of
documents.

Meanwhile, the Penrose Inquiry, a
seven-year investigation launched by the Scottish government, was criticised as
a whitewash when it was published in 2015.

Greater Manchester Mayor and former
health secretary Andy Burnham claimed in the House of Commons in 2017 that a
“criminal cover-up on an industrial scale” had taken place.

The government only announced there
would be an inquiry when it faced a possible defeat on an emergency motion to
establish an inquiry.

The then-Prime Minister Theresa May
ordered this UK-wide public inquiry in the summer of 2017.