Provisional List of Issues

(Updated 3 July 2026)

A. “Planning undertaken by the police and government for the policing of the demonstration at Orgreave on 18 June 1984, including relevant decision-making, in the lead up to the day.”

  1. What planning took place by mineworkers/the NUM for picketing Orgreave on 18 June 1984;
    1. The extent to which the picketing was organised or coordinated by the NUM or others;
    2. The objective for picketing Orgreave on 18 June 1984;
    3. The plans for picketing Orgreave on 18 June 1984, including their placement at Orgreave;
    4. The recruitment of pickets for Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

  1. The intelligence and information available about the planned picketing on 18 June 1984 during the planning for 18 June 1984, including:
    1. The information and intelligence held by police, HM Government, the National Coal Board, ACPO and other state bodies;
    2. The accuracy of information and intelligence;
    3. Information and intelligence sharing between police authorities and state or non-state bodies (including the National Coal Board and British Steel);
    4. The use of covert tactics during the planning.

  1. What planning took place by the police and the military before 18 June 1984, including:
    1. The number of pickets anticipated;
    2. The number of police officers required and the selection of officers by force/experience;
    3. The extent to which other personnel such as military personnel were involved in the planning or policing at Orgreave;
    4. The number of police forces involved in planning and/or on the day;
    5. The extent to which planning took into account the geography/layout of Orgreave;
    6. The extent to which planning took into account previous picketing at Orgreave and/or at other locations;
    7. The role of ACPO and the National Reporting Centre;
    8. The role of SYP and assisting forces.

  1. The tactics planned and/or authorised by the police on 18 June 1984, including:
    1. The planning and authorisation for tactics used, including mounted officers/mounted charges;
    2. The extent to which the planning accounted for the safety of pickets;
    3. The extent to which the planning accounted for the safety of police officers, and junior officers in particular;
    4. Any specific tactical training given to officers prior to the 18 June 1984;
    5. Policing tactics taught or in use for policing pickets;
    6. Whether there was a lawful, proportionate and clearly documented tactical plan, including use of or reliance on the Public Order Tactical Options Manual;
    7. The policing objectives e.g. public order management, intelligence gathering or strike breaking.

  1. The involvement of HM Government, and government departments, in the planning for 18 June 1984:
    1. The extent to which HM Government and government departments were influenced by or relied upon previous planning, including the Ridley plan;
    2. The extent to which HM Government and government departments were involved in or aware of the planning for 18 June 1984;
    3. The extent to which there were any standing policies or tactics for policing strikes;
    4. The extent to which HM Government influenced policing strategy for 18 June 1984.

B. “The events at Orgreave on the day of 18 June 1984, the immediate aftermath, including the subsequent public narrative which developed.” 

  1. The chronology of the conduct of pickets and police officers (including any military officers) on 18 June 1984, including:
    1. The number of pickets;
    2. The number of police officers;
    3. Whether officers were properly briefed, equipped, trained and supported;
    4. The location of pickets and police officers;
    5. The conduct of pickets;
    6. The conduct of police officers, including:
      1. The placement of pickets and police officers;
      2. The use of mounted officers;
      3. The use of dog units;
      4. The use of charges by mounted police;
      5. The use of “snatch squads”;
      6. The use of covert tactics.
    7. The detention, arrest, attempted arrests and de-arrests of pickets;
    8. The use of force by police, and the extent to which it was necessary, appropriate, proportionate and lawful;
    9. Injuries caused to pickets and police, and the extent to which appropriate medical assistance was available and accessible;
    10. Any debriefs conducted by SYP or other forces on 18 June 1984 and any which followed the events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

  1. The role of other emergency services on 18 June 1984, including:
    1. ambulance and fire services;
    2. Briefing received by other emergency services including ambulance and fire services beforehand;
    3. The access provided to those who were injured (including whilst in police custody).

  1. The public narrative:
    1. Whether there was a police media plan in place for 18 June 1984;
    2. The media presence at Orgreave on 18 June 1984;
    3. The reporting on events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984, including the accuracy of that reporting;
    4. The extent to which the reporting on events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984 was influenced by the police or HM Government;
    5. The manner in which the events were reported within Government and Parliament, including the recording of debate and discussion in Hansard;
    6. Whether police briefings shaped the media account of picket violence and police conduct;
    7. Whether NUM briefings shaped the media account of picket violence and police conduct;
    8. The extent to which the reporting on events at Orgreave was fair, balanced or accurate.

C. “Charging decisions and prosecutions relating to those arrested in relation to the events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.” 

  1. Arrests and criminal proceedings:
    1. The arrest decisions for pickets and how those decisions were made;
    2. Decisions made about post-charge bail or remand;
    3. The charging decisions, and the process for making and/or authorising those decisions including the advice sought and provided;
    4. The choice of charges, including the reason and the legal basis for those choices;
    5. The evidential basis for charging decisions, and the strength of that evidence;
    6. The conduct of prosecutions;
    7. The reason for the collapse of prosecutions.

  1. Record keeping and evidence gathering:
    1. What records, notebooks, command logs, radio transmissions, photographs, video, medical records and intelligence files were created;
    2. The use of, and accuracy of command logs and radio messages;
    3. The process for recording police statements and accounts for pickets arrested;
    4. The accuracy, integrity and independence of police statements prepared for both prosecutions and civil actions.

D. “The impact of events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984 on those present and on their families and communities, as well as on the relationship between policing and the mining community more widely.” 

  1. Impact on mineworkers, pickets, their families and communities:
    1. The personal, financial, psychological and reputational impact of both the events on 18 June 1984 and the subsequent prosecutions on arrested mineworkers and those who picketed on 18 June 1984;
    2. The immediate and longer-term impact on mineworkers’ families and coalfield communities.

  1. Impact on police officers and their families:
    1. The personal and psychological impact on police officers present on 18 June 1984 of both the events on 18 June 1984 and the subsequent prosecutions;
    2. The immediate and longer-term impact on officers and their families.

E. “Oversee the disclosure of contemporaneous historical material with a view to establishing a picture of the above events.” 

  1. The extent to which evidence is no longer available, and whether it is missing, destroyed, withheld or unaccounted for.
  2. If evidence is missing or destroyed, when that occurred and on whose direction.
  3. The reasons for, and lawfulness, of any evidence destruction.