Improve GMP Major Incident record-making
Manchester Arena Inquiry · Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · Issued 3 November 2022 · Addressed to: Greater Manchester Police
Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Nov 2025)
DeliveryCabinet Office says completed (Feb 2026)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Greater Manchester Police should reflect on its approach to record-making during and immediately following a Major Incident, with a view to improving the current practice.
Manchester Arena Inquiry, Manchester Arena Inquiry: Volume 2: Emergency Response · 3 Nov 2022 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
The Inquiry asked Greater Manchester Police to review and improve major incident record-making. In February 2026, the Cabinet Office reported that the force directs commanders and officers in key roles to record their actions, decisions, and rationale using body-worn video, digital encrypted dictaphones, or loggists on the Clio database (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). It also stated that the force's major incident plan directs commanders to record evidential statements, and that a Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters review had concluded, with the work strand closed through multi-agency governance in September 2024 (Cabinet Office, Feb 2026). Earlier, the UK Government recorded the recommendation as accepted in full in November 2025 (Cabinet Office response, Nov 2025).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026.
About this summary
Government response
●UK Government · Accepted · 14 Nov 2025
Accepted in full
Response document: Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations (GOV.UK page linking to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard)
Delivery
●Cabinet Office says completed · 27 Feb 2026
CTPHQ/Plato Recommendation Review In June 2023, CTPHQ commenced a proactive and supplementary review of Volume 2 recommendations. This review enabled formal monitoring of developments around specific recommendations owned within other business areas or work strands, to take into account any interdependencies whilst ensuring CTPHQ guidance and process was updated appropriately if required. This review is now complete. This work strand has been closed via Multi-Agency Governance September 2024. GMP has taken a pragmatic approach to record making during a Major Incident as there is no single national position. Officers in key roles, including Commanders are directed to record their actions, decisions and rationale using Body Worn Video or Digital Encrypted Dictaphones. Commanders also use a loggist to record this information on the Clio database. GMP's Major Incident Plan directs Commanders to record an evidential statement subject to caveats such as Post Incident Procedures or where there is an IOPC or Professional Standards Branch Investigation.
Earlier statements on delivery (0)
●Cabinet Office · 14 Nov 2025
CTPHQ/Plato Recommendation Review In June 2023, CTPHQ commenced a proactive and supplementary review of Volume 2 recommendations. This review enabled formal monitoring of developments around specific recommendations owned within other business areas or work strands, to take into account any interdependencies whilst ensuring CTPHQ guidance and process was updated appropriately if required. This review is now complete. This work strand has been closed via Multi-Agency Governance September 2024. GMP has taken a pragmatic approach to record making during a Major Incident as there is no single national position. Officers in key roles, including Commanders are directed to record their actions, decisions and rationale using Body Worn Video or Digital Encrypted Dictaphones. Commanders also use a loggist to record this information on the Clio database. GMP's Major Incident Plan directs Commanders to record an evidential statement subject to caveats such as Post Incident Procedures or where there is an IOPC or Professional Standards Branch Investigation.
From: Manchester Arena Inquiry Recommendations Dashboard, original version (data file)
Published evidence
●JESIP · 1 Apr 2024
JESIP Joint Doctrine updated to v3.1 (April 2024) following inquiry findings on interoperability failures. Operation Plato reformed to cover all terrorist attack types, not just firearms. Emphasis extended beyond command-level to frontline responders.
JESIP Joint Doctrine Version 3.1, April 2024View source →
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The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.