WE share the concerns of North-East MP Ian Swales over the refusal of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to publish a review into the circumstances which led to the death of a father and his seven-year-old daughter.

A serious case review (SCR) was ordered after Philip Braithwaite and his daughter Jessica died in a fire at their home in Redcar in May, 2011.

An inquest the following year concluded that Mr Braithwaite, 49, had killed himself and that Jessica was unlawfully killed.

But two years on from that verdict being reached, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is still refusing to release the report into how authorities acted in the case.

We are assured that lessons have been learned from the tragedy and that changes in procedures and practice have been implemented but, without full transparency, how do we really know that enough has been done?

We appreciate the sensitivities involved but there is a clear public interest in understanding what mistakes were made and what measures have been put in place to minimise the risk of similar tragedies happening.

Whenever a report is kept secret, there is an automatic perception that there is something the authorities are trying to hide.

And, unless the likes of MPs and newspapers challenge decisions to keep such reports private, how can the public have confidence that secrecy isn't merely convenient rather than necessary?

This tragedy raised enough concerns for a serious case review to be ordered. We hope Mr Swales continues to press for its findings to be made public in full.