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Met police denies delaying publication of Sue Gray inquiry as officers examine material

Scotland Yard says it has not delayed the publication of the long-awaited Cabinet Office report.

LAST UPDATE | 28 Jan 2022

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE have received the material requested from the Cabinet Office to support the investigation into possible lockdown breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall, the police force has said.

Scotland Yard said officers would now examine the material “without fear or favour” to establish whether any rules were broken, adding that it had not delayed the publication of the Sue Gray report.

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command, said the timing of the document’s release was a matter for the Cabinet Office.

Downing Street declined to comment on the Met statement.

She said the force had asked for “minimal reference” to be made in the report to the “relevant events”, in order to “protect the integrity of the police investigation” and be “as fair as possible to those who are subject to it”.

“This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately,” she said.

The force previously argued the constraints on the Cabinet Office report into “partygate” were necessary to “avoid any prejudice to our investigation”.

The new statement, issued this evening, contains no mention of the term “prejudice”.

Roper added: “We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team.”

She said the offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice.

“Individuals who are identified as having potentially breached these regulations will normally be contacted in writing, and invited to explain their actions including whether they feel they had a reasonable excuse,” she said.

“Following this process, and where there is sufficient evidence that individuals have breached the regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide if enforcement action is appropriate.

“If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.

“Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates’ court.

“As the Commissioner said, we will not be giving a running commentary but we will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigative process.”

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    Mute Frederick Constant
    Favourite Frederick Constant
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:27 PM

    We need proper hospice care in the home for those who need or want it. Great service, but sadly not available to all, and heavily reliant on the goodwill of others.

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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:49 PM

    True, but it’s much easier to raise money for a bricks and mortar hospice, which is not actually where most people would prefer to die. It’s very difficult to say such things where someone is asking for donations though.

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    Mute Kate Reddin
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:25 PM

    My Mother passed away in Milford Hospice in Febuary. She wanted to die at home but storm damage meant she had to go to the hospice temporarily. Unfortunately she never made it back home and passed away the following week. After spending every day with her there I told my husband that if the same situation arises with me I would like to die there surrounded by my family not at home. We could never have provided her with the facilities and care she received. It was outstanding

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    Mute Sinead Hanley
    Favourite Sinead Hanley
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    Oct 17th 2014, 6:18 PM

    Ah thats so sad about your mother Kate. I am so sorry

    Our beloved brother who was only in his 40′s passed away in Milford Hospice. We had the same experience as ye had. His care was outstanding. After battling cancer he had a tough year and he was pain free to the very end. He felt loved and special and was spoilt rotten by the staff. They couldnt do enough for us either. The staff there are truly angels from Heaven. Very special place..

    35
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    Mute Willy Moon
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:26 PM

    I would want to be at home when I die, nowhere else

    63
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Oct 17th 2014, 8:55 PM

    Is there a simple answer to the question why?

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    Mute Geoff Tracey
    Favourite Geoff Tracey
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:34 PM

    I’d love to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandad……can’t say the same for the 37 people on his bus that day…..

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    Mute Conor Buggy
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:50 PM

    My gran hated hospitals and wanted to die at home. In the end she ended up leaving her home unconcious to go to the hospital even though my aunt and mother did their damned best to care for her at home. In the 6 days in hospital she had great care that I couldnt fault. 2 nights before she died she woke up and chatted to my sister and me who were on duty that night. She thought she was in her own bed at home and thought we were visiting her. That was the last time she was awake so in her mind at least she was at home.

    Its a terrible time to go through and I would encourage everyone to make their wishes known to their families and for their families to honour those wishes as best they can. Sometimes they dont work out as planned though.

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    Mute rsdowney
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:31 PM

    Cheery stuff.
    Can we not just enjoy the Friday feeling?

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    Mute rat race
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:45 PM

    I’ll probably die of thirst if I can’t pay my water charges :)

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    Mute Niall Waters
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:29 PM

    Who’s going to vote “yes, I want to die in hospital, up to the eyes on medication”?

    Yet another pointless story.

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    Mute significantrisk
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:21 PM

    Niall, people dying in hospital are generally treated using the same palliative medication protocols as those at home. The difference is the setting, and the potential for well meaning but futile additional interventions.

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    Mute Zoë Georgina
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:35 PM

    Some people want to die in hospital to save their family from constantly remembering them sick and dying at home. That’s what I’d prefer, and I have experience of other family members saying the exact same thing. If I have to be heavily medicated for pain I’d rather do so in a hospital and give my family a choice of seeing me like that or not. It makes no difference to me if I’m that medicated but it may mean a massive easing of their pain in the months and years to follow my death.

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    Mute Fognostical
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:01 PM

    I guess that the other quarter would rather just keep on living?

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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:35 PM

    A parachute not opening… that’s a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine… having your nuts bit off by a Laplander, that’s the way I wanna go…

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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:53 PM

    I like the late Maurice Neligans response. He said that he wanted to die aged 97, shot by a jealous husband.

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    Mute Rory Naughton
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:23 PM

    “though almost three-quarters have not written any kind of care directive or given an indication of what they want to family members”

    Advanced Care Orders have little or no legal standing in Ireland due to the usual absence of any substantive legislation. While it can be useful to formulate a care plan in very carefully specified circumstances it is bizarre to even mention advanced directives in this general population survey.

    If anyone is interested in such things this contains a brief summary:
    http://www.medicalprotection.org/ireland/booklets/managing-the-risks-in-general-practice/advance-directives

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    Mute Rebecca O'Brien
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:32 PM

    Why was there a survey done about this in the first place ??? Pointless !!!!

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    Mute Willy Moon
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:34 PM

    NIt so pointless if you are near death

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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:51 PM

    I spend quite a lot of my time working with older and dying patients, to them it’s act very important.

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    Mute Paddy Taxpayer
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:32 PM

    Typical Ireland, a story about how people want to die?
    What about dying on the job?

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    Mute Mary McMahon
    Favourite Mary McMahon
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    Oct 17th 2014, 11:48 PM

    How very convenient for the health service ,lets hope its not like” care in the community” which consists of assistance for 15 mins a day ,and your on your own for 23 hours 45 mins.its possible for some people ,it depends on their condition ,others need extensive care that can only be provided by hospitals or hospices.

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