Hillsborough disaster apologised for its treatment of the Hillsborough disaster "without reservation" in a full page opinion piece on 7 July 2004, saying it had "committed the most terrible mistake in its history" by publishing it. The apology angered some Liverpudlians further. The "Liverpool Echo" called the apology, "shabby" and "an attempt, once again, to exploit the Hillsborough dead". James Murdoch made a full apology for "The Sun" coverage when he appeared at a hearing of the House of Commons Select Committee dealing with the News International phone hacking scandal in 2012. On 12 September 2012, after the publication of the report
Hillsborough disaster the Culture secretary, Andy Burnham, and Minister of State for Justice, Maria Eagle, the government asked the Home Office and Department of Culture, Media and Sport to investigate the best way for this information to be made public. In April 2009, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced she had requested secret files concerning the disaster be made public. In December 2009, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said the Hillsborough Independent Panel's remit would be to oversee "full public disclosure of relevant government and local information within the limited constraints set out in the disclosure protocol" and "consult with the Hillsborough families