AS the families of Hillsborough victims wait for Home Secretary to make a statement on the disaster today, Wirral South MP Alison McGovern said it is vital that the new inquests begin on schedule.

Theresa May is due to make a statement in the House of Commons at around 12.30pm and is expected to reveal progress made into the investigations about the aftermath of the tragedy.

Ms McGovern says she will be pressing the Home Secretary on several issues.

Nintey-six Liverpool fans lost their lives in the events of April 15, 1989. Twelve of the dead were from Wirral.

The verdicts in the original inquests were quashed in December, 2012, with fresh hearings due to take place in Warrington from March 31.

Ms McGovern said: “The biggest issue for me is that the inquests must start on March 31.

“That lies really with the Home Office giving the appropriate level of resources.

“I will be pressing to make sure that these inquests absolutely starts on that date with no excuses.

“I know what the families have been through over the past six to nine months, going through this is as if they’re back in 1989 all over again, but that’s the only way to get justice.

“There are no excuses now – we need these inquests to start on time as promised and the resources made available to do that.”

On September 12, 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron issued a profound apology to Hillsborough families who suffered the double injustice of "the failure of the state to protect their loved ones and the indefensible wait to get to the truth”.

He was addressing the House of Commons following publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report into previously unseen documents.

Ms McGovern added: “There are a number of questions about authorities, especially police authorities providing evidence and documentation."

“Not all documentation was provided to the HIP largely because they did not have investigative powers, which the police do.

“We know that additional documentation and evidence has been recovered that was never seen by the HIP and it may be that the Home Secretary, being responsible for police authorities, is going to say something about that.

“There are particular questions about whether families and survivors were under surveillance by the police after the disaster so we will be particular pressing that – the police authority must disclose all information related to the disaster.”