MPs held a 72-second silence for the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy at the beginning of a debate on the fire’s inquiry.

The tribute came before MPs debated a petition which called on the Government to appoint additional panel members to the inquiry.

Tory MP Paul Scully, who opened the Westminster Hall debate, also read the names of all 72 victims who perished in the tragedy.

The Sutton and Cheam MP said: “This needs to be a people-led process at every stage and the reason being this is real people’s lives that are being affected now, but also real people’s lives that have been lost.”

Mr Scully went on to welcome the announcement by Prime Minister Theresa May last week that two new panel members would be appointed, but added: “Grenfell United feel more may be required to ensure that the panel has the diversity of experience beyond the two.”

He went on to point to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry as an “excellent example of how members should be chosen”.

He said: “It’s important that the Government is open and understanding and responsive at every stage of this process, because it’s these three qualities that the community believe have been lacking, certainly in the period leading up to the fire.”

He added: “One resident last week described what had happened as a tragedy in three acts, he described it as being ignored in the refurbishment process of the tower, the fire itself and the sense of abandonment at certain times following the fire.”