The Home Office has apologised to the relatives of Hillsborough victims after they were not told a review into pathology failings was under way.
A review into what went wrong with an original pathology report into the deaths of the 97 victims in the 1989 disaster was announced on Wednesday.
Margaret Aspinall, whose son James died in the tragedy, said it was "appalling" she heard via the media.
The Home Office said it apologised that the families were not told in advance.
"The legacy of the Hillsborough disaster continues to deeply impact us all, and the families of the 97 people who lost their lives have shown vast strength and courage," the spokesman added.