Core Participant Protocol
Contents
- Purpose of this document
- Key concepts
- Who can apply
- How to apply
- What the Chair considers
- What happens next
- Legal representation
- Confidentiality
- Contact details
- Annex 1 – Application form
1. Purpose of this document
1.1 This document outlines the rules and provides guidance to support applications to become a Core Participant for the Orgreave Inquiry.
2. Key concepts
2.1 Being a Core Participant gives individuals, organisations and entities additional rights and responsibilities within the Inquiry, such as seeing relevant evidence and making submissions during the Inquiry’s investigations, set out in brief below.
2.2 Not all witnesses will be Core Participants, and being a Core Participant does not mean that a person’s evidence is any more important or given any greater weight. Personal accounts and experiences shared by those who are not Core Participants are of no less value in the eyes of the Inquiry than those provided by Core Participants.
2.3 You may engage meaningfully with the Inquiry without being a Core Participant. Evidence may be provided to the Inquiry by way of documents or other material. You may also act as a witness to the Inquiry and can claim expenses for attending as a witness, as well as an award for legal representation (if the relevant criteria are met). You may watch or attend public hearings, if these are decided upon (unless the Chair decides to hear evidence in private), read transcripts of hearings, witness statements and other documents that are published by the Inquiry.
2.4 This Protocol will be applied in line with section 17(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 (the Inquiries Act), which requires a Chair to act with fairness and regard to the need to avoid unnecessary cost.
2.5 The Inquiry is governed by its Terms of Reference, which lists what the Inquiry can and will investigate. These can be accessed here.
3. Who can apply
3.1 The designation of Core Participants is governed by Rule 5 of the Inquiry Rules 2006 (‘the Inquiry Rules’). Under Rule 5(2), the Chair will usually grant Core Participant status if one or more of the following applies:
a) you were directly involved in the events being investigated
b) you have a strong interest in an important issue the Inquiry is examining
c) you may be criticised during the Inquiry or in its report
3.2 The Chair may also take any other relevant factors into account.
3.3 The Chair cannot designate someone as a Core Participant without their consent. This means that although the Chair can invite people to apply for Core Participant status, he cannot force them to do so.
3.4 The Chair does not have to designate everyone that meets the criteria set out in Rule 5 of the Inquiry Rules as Core Participants. He has wide discretion but must act fairly, consistently, and with an open mind.
4. How to apply
4.1 Applications for Core Participant status must be made in writing to the Inquiry and must clearly and briefly state the reasons for seeking the designation. This protocol will be made publicly available on the Inquiry’s website. The window for applications will open on 13 July 2026 and close on 28 August 2026.
4.2 A template application form, in Word format, is contained at Annex 1. The Inquiry invites those who wish to be designated as a Core Participant to fill in this form and return a completed copy to the Inquiry, for the attention of the Solicitor to the Inquiry, either by email or post (FREEPOST). Contact details are provided below.
4.3 Applications will still be accepted in other formats, as long as they comply with this Protocol and include the information at paragraph 3.1 above.
4.4 The Inquiry will treat all information received in line with its Privacy Information Notice. You can access this here.
5. What the Chair considers
5.1 The Chair will decide applications based on the written applications.
5.2 Applications received after the closing date may be considered by the Chair. However, the Chair may take into account additional factors (including the reason for any delay and the potential impact on the work of the Inquiry) in deciding whether to grant Core Participant status.
5.3 The Chair will consider all applications carefully and, if he considers that further information is needed before a decision can be made, he may require you to provide such further information as he considers necessary.
5.4 If the Chair requires an oral application and/or should you provide good reason why your application should be considered at a hearing, the Chair will provide notice of the date of that hearing no later than 3 clear days before the date of the hearing at which he will hear that application.
6. What happens next
6.1 The Chair will decide a Core Participant application within a reasonable time.
6.2 The Solicitor to the Inquiry will notify you and, where applicable, in writing, by email or by post.
6.3 If an application is refused, any renewed application should be submitted in writing, within 7 days of receiving notice of the refusal, providing further reasons and/or evidence in support of their application. Renewed applications will be considered on the documents submitted.
6.4 If the application is granted, the Solicitor to the Inquiry will provide a letter which sets out the details and any conditions of Core Participant status. Those designated as Core Participants may participate in the Inquiry in a number of ways:
a) receiving relevant disclosed evidence to that Core Participant;
b) making an opening and closing statement in writing and, if there are public hearings, orally.
c) suggesting lines of questioning to the Inquiry;
d) if there are public hearings, their recognised legal representative may apply to the Chair to ask questions of a witness.
6.5 Core Participants do not have to act for every aspect of the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference or for the entire duration of the Inquiry; they may be designated to a specific part of the Inquiry.
6.6 The Chair may remove Core Participant status from someone if he decides that they no longer meet the requirements for Core Participant status to be granted.
7. Legal representation
7.1 The Inquiry is aware that some people wishing to make an application under this Protocol will not have legal representation. Although the Inquiry is unable to give legal advice, the Inquiry team will be happy to provide further guidance, as needed about how to complete an application.
7.2 The designation of a Core Participant’s legal representative is separate from the decision to designate someone as a Core Participant.
7.3 Where a Core Participant has designated a qualified lawyer to act on their behalf, the Chair must designate that lawyer as the person’s designated legal representative in respect of the Inquiry proceedings or the relevant part of the Inquiry proceedings, as the case may be, in line with Rule 6 of the Inquiry Rules.
7.4 However, where two or more Core Participants each seek to be legally represented and the Chair considers that:
a) their interests in the outcome of the Inquiry are similar
b) the facts they are likely to rely on during the Inquiry are similar; and
c) it is fair and proper for them to be jointly represented;
In line with Rule 7(2) of the Inquiry Rules, the Chair will direct that those Core Participants will be represented by a single recognised legal representative.
7.5 Where the Chair decides this, Core Participants must agree the designation of a single legal representative. If they do not do so within a reasonable period, the Chair will designate an appropriate lawyer who he considers has sufficient knowledge and experience to act in that capacity.
7.6 Section 40 of the Inquiries Act 2005 (‘the Act’) allows the Chair to make awards for the cost of legal representation and the attendance of witnesses, subject to such conditions or qualifications designated by the Minister and the Chair, regardless of whether they are Core Participants.
7.7 Applications for an award of legal expenses in line with section 40 of the Act should be made following the Inquiry’s ‘Legal Costs Protocol’ which will be available soon, and the Minister’s determination under section 40(4) of the Act, published on the Inquiry’s website. You can access the Notice of Determination here.
8. Confidentiality
8.1 All Core Participants and their legal representatives must agree to treat information they receive from the Inquiry as confidential. They must not use it for any purpose other than taking part in the Inquiry; they must not publish or disclose the information to a third party, share it or use or permit its use by others for any purpose other than their participation in the Inquiry. All Core Participants and their legal representatives will be required to sign a form. This will continue to apply even after the Inquiry has ended.
8.2 Any breach of confidentiality is a serious matter with potentially serious consequences; it could lead to the Chair deciding to withdraw Core Participant status or restrict further participation in the Inquiry.
9. Contact details
9.1 If you have any queries about this Protocol, you can contact the Inquiry by email at legal@orgreave.public-inquiry.uk or by post – Freepost ORGREAVE INQUIRY. You should also use these channels to send us your application. All written correspondence, including completed forms should be addressed to the Solicitor to the Inquiry.
10. Annex 1 – Core Participant Application Form
Please click here to download the Core Participant Application Form