Public inquiry
Encyclopedia
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review
of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law
countries such as the United Kingdom
, Ireland
or Canada
. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission
in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more public forum and focuses on a more specific occurrence. Interested members of the public and organisations may not only make (written) evidential submissions as is the case with most inquiries, but also listen to oral evidence given by other parties.
Typical events for a public inquiry are those that cause multiple deaths, such as public transport crashes or mass murders. However, in the UK, the Planning Inspectorate
, an agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government, routinely holds public inquiries into a range of major and lesser land use developments, including highways and other transport proposals.
Advocacy group
s and opposition
political parties are likely to ask for public inquiries for all manner of issues. The government of the day typically only accedes to a fraction of these requests. A public inquiry generally takes longer to report and costs more on account of its public nature. Thus when a government refuses a public inquiry on some topic, it is usually on these grounds.
The conclusions of the inquiry are delivered in the form of a written report, given first to the government, and soon after published to the public. The report will generally make recommendations to improve the quality of government or management of public organisations in the future.
(previously the Flood Tribunal) which is currently in its eighth year and has heard 615 days of evidence so far.
Inquiries in the Republic of Ireland are governed under Section 1 of the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act of 1921, as amended. The 1921 Act, being a UK statute enacted before the setting up of the Irish Free State
, continues to apply for the time being in the Republic of Ireland. It has, however, been amended since by several Acts of the Oireachtas. The chair of the inquiry is mandated by the Oireachtas
(following resolutions in both the Dáil and the Seanad) to carry out the inquiry into matters of urgent public importance by a Warrant of Appointment. The terms of reference of the inquiry are given as part of that warrant.
Tribunals of Inquiry are established by the Oireachtas where the evidence of malfeasance might not be enough to secure a criminal conviction, but where public policy requires answers. Critics of the system say that tribunals: are relatively toothless; may give witnesses immunity that they would not obtain from a court; allow legal representation to all parties, resulting in a higher final cost to the State than the cost of the original malfeasance; and that they can delay difficult political decisions.
Tribunals of Inquiry are invested with the powers, privileges and rights of the Irish High Court. It is not a function of a Tribunal to administer justice, their work is solely inquisitorial. Tribunals are required to report their findings to the Oireachtas. They have the power to enforce the attendance and examination of witnesses and the production of relevant documents. Tribunals may consist of one or more persons, though the practise has been to appoint a Sole Member. Tribunals may sit with or without Assessors (who are not Tribunal members). Sittings are usually held in public but can, at the Tribunal's discretion, be held in private.
Tribunals can also award damages in a series of similar and uncontested cases, such as the Irish Army deafness claims that ran on for over a decade.
, professor or senior civil servant.
For a full list of UK public inquiries see the National Archives list.
Review
A review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie , video game, musical composition , book ; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show...
of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
countries such as the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
or Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more public forum and focuses on a more specific occurrence. Interested members of the public and organisations may not only make (written) evidential submissions as is the case with most inquiries, but also listen to oral evidence given by other parties.
Typical events for a public inquiry are those that cause multiple deaths, such as public transport crashes or mass murders. However, in the UK, the Planning Inspectorate
Planning Inspectorate
The Planning Inspectorate for England and Wales is an executive agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government of the United Kingdom Government. It is responsible for determining final outcomes of planning and enforcement appeals and public examination of local development plans...
, an agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government, routinely holds public inquiries into a range of major and lesser land use developments, including highways and other transport proposals.
Advocacy group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
s and opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
political parties are likely to ask for public inquiries for all manner of issues. The government of the day typically only accedes to a fraction of these requests. A public inquiry generally takes longer to report and costs more on account of its public nature. Thus when a government refuses a public inquiry on some topic, it is usually on these grounds.
The conclusions of the inquiry are delivered in the form of a written report, given first to the government, and soon after published to the public. The report will generally make recommendations to improve the quality of government or management of public organisations in the future.
Tribunals of Inquiry in the Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, public inquiries , known popularly as tribunals (binse breithimh), have become much used in recent years. While they have been the subject of many dramatic revelations in Irish politics, they have also become known for running long beyond their intended length – the extreme case being the Planning TribunalThe Mahon Tribunal
The Tribunal of Inquiry Into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, commonly known as the Mahon Tribunal, is a public inquiry in Ireland established by Dáil Éireann in 1997 to investigate allegations of corrupt payments to politicians regarding political decisions...
(previously the Flood Tribunal) which is currently in its eighth year and has heard 615 days of evidence so far.
Inquiries in the Republic of Ireland are governed under Section 1 of the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act of 1921, as amended. The 1921 Act, being a UK statute enacted before the setting up of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, continues to apply for the time being in the Republic of Ireland. It has, however, been amended since by several Acts of the Oireachtas. The chair of the inquiry is mandated by the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
(following resolutions in both the Dáil and the Seanad) to carry out the inquiry into matters of urgent public importance by a Warrant of Appointment. The terms of reference of the inquiry are given as part of that warrant.
Tribunals of Inquiry are established by the Oireachtas where the evidence of malfeasance might not be enough to secure a criminal conviction, but where public policy requires answers. Critics of the system say that tribunals: are relatively toothless; may give witnesses immunity that they would not obtain from a court; allow legal representation to all parties, resulting in a higher final cost to the State than the cost of the original malfeasance; and that they can delay difficult political decisions.
Tribunals of Inquiry are invested with the powers, privileges and rights of the Irish High Court. It is not a function of a Tribunal to administer justice, their work is solely inquisitorial. Tribunals are required to report their findings to the Oireachtas. They have the power to enforce the attendance and examination of witnesses and the production of relevant documents. Tribunals may consist of one or more persons, though the practise has been to appoint a Sole Member. Tribunals may sit with or without Assessors (who are not Tribunal members). Sittings are usually held in public but can, at the Tribunal's discretion, be held in private.
Tribunals can also award damages in a series of similar and uncontested cases, such as the Irish Army deafness claims that ran on for over a decade.
List of Irish public inquiries
The following is a list:- 1926: Retail prices of articles in general consumption
- 1926: Ports and Harbours
- 1928: Shooting of Timothy CoughlinTimothy CoughlinTimothy Coughlin was a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army, mainly known for his part in assassinating Kevin O'Higgins in 1927 and for the controversy surrounding the circumstances of his death in 1928....
- 1929: Whether mixture of maize meal and maize products with home-grown cereals would be in the national interest
- 1930: Marketing of butter
- 1933: Pig production
- 1934: Grading etc. of Fruit and Vegetables
- 1935: Town Tenants
- 1936: Pearse Street Fire
- 1938: Public Transport
- 1943: Fire at St. Josephs Orphanage, CavanCavan Orphanage FireIn the Cavan Orphanage Fire, a fire broke out at St Joseph's Orphanage in Cavan, Ireland on the night of February 23, 1943. 35 of the children and one adult lay worker died in the fire....
- 1944: Dealings in Great Southern RailwayGreat Southern RailwayGreat Southern Railway can refer to:* Great Southern Railway - tourism and rail operator* Great Southern Railway - Former railway serving the South Gippsland region in Victoria, Australia...
Stocks between 1 January 1943 and 18 November 1943 - 1946: Allegations concerning Parliamentary Secretary
- 1947: Disposal of Distillery of John Locke and Co. Ltd., Kilbeggan
- 1957: Cross Channel Freight Rates
- 1967: Death of Liam O'Mahony in Garda custody
- 1969: "Seven Days7 Days (Ireland)7 Days was a Radio Telefís Éireann current affairs programme presented by Brian Farrell, Brian Cleeve and John O'Donoghue and broadcast in Ireland from 1966 until 1976.-Background:...
" Television programme on illegal moneylending - 1975: Allegations made by two Members in the Dáil against the Minister For Local Government
- 1979: Costello InquiryCostello InquiryThe Costello Inquiry was an Irish public inquiry set up to investigate and report on the circumstances behind the Betelgeuse incident, in which 50 people were killed when an empty oil tanker exploded in Bantry Bay....
into the Whiddy Island DisasterBetelgeuse incidentThe Betelgeuse incident, also known as the Betelgeuse or Whiddy Island disaster, occurred on 8 January 1979, at around 1:00 a.m., when the oil tanker Betelgeuse exploded in West Cork, Ireland, at the offshore jetty of the Whiddy Island Oil Terminal, due to the failure of the ship's structure... - 1981: Tribunal of Inquiry into the Stardust DisasterStardust DisasterThe Stardust fire was a fatal fire which took place at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin, Ireland in the early hours of 14 February 1981. Some 841 people had attended a disco there, of whom 48 died and 214 were injured as a result of the fire...
- 1984: The Kerry Babies TribunalKerry Babies TribunalThe Kerry Babies case is an unsolved murder case dating from 1984 in Kerry, Ireland, that dominated the Irish headlines for some months during that year and resulted in a public Tribunal of Inquiry into the behaviour of the Garda Síochána during the investigation.On 14 April 1984, a newborn baby...
to determine the cause of death/connection between the bodies of two babies found within a short period of time in County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective... - 1991: Tribunal of Inquiry into the Beef Industry, chaired by Mr Justice Liam HamiltonLiam HamiltonLiam Hamilton was an Irish lawyer and judge. He was educated at C.B.S. Mitchelstown, University College Dublin and King's Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1956 and to the Inner Bar in 1968....
, the "Beef Tribunal" - 1997: Tribunal of Inquiry into Payments to Politicians by Ben DunneBen DunneBen Dunne is an Irish entrepreneur and former director of his family firm, Dunnes Stores, one of the largest chains of department stores in Ireland. In 1981, he was kidnapped by the IRA and held for seven days...
– the McCracken Tribunal. - 1997–2011: Tribunal of Inquiry (Dunnes Payments) (follow-up), the Moriarty TribunalMoriarty TribunalThe Tribunal of Inquiry into certain Payments to Politicians and Related Matters was an Irish Public inquiry established in 1997 into the financial affairs of politicians Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry. It has revealed significant tax evasion by these and other politicians and leading...
- 1997–ongoing: Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, now known as The Mahon TribunalThe Mahon TribunalThe Tribunal of Inquiry Into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, commonly known as the Mahon Tribunal, is a public inquiry in Ireland established by Dáil Éireann in 1997 to investigate allegations of corrupt payments to politicians regarding political decisions...
- 1996-99: Lindsay TribunalLindsay TribunalThe Lindsay Tribunal was set up in Ireland in 1999 to investigate the infection of haemophiliacs with HIV and Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products supplied by the Blood Transfusion Service Board.There are about 400 haemophiliacs in Ireland...
to investigate the infection of haemophiliacs with HIV and Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products. - 2002–2006: Tribunal of Inquiry into the siege and shooting of John CarthyJohn CarthyJohn Carthy was a 27-year-old Irish citizen with known psychiatric illnesses. On Thursday 20 April 2000 he was shot dead in controversial circumstances by the Emergency Response Unit of An Garda Síochána at his home in Toneymore, Abbeylara, County Longford, Ireland after a twenty-five hour...
in AbbeylaraAbbeylaraAbbeylara is a village in the easternmost portion of County Longford, Ireland, located about three kilometers east of Granard on the R369 regional road. Its name is derived from a monastery, the great Abbey of Lerha, founded in 1205 by Hiberno-Norman magnate, Risteárd de Tiúit, for Cistercian monks...
, County LongfordCounty LongfordCounty Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
, the Barr TribunalBarr TribunalThe Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry in the Republic of Ireland established by Resolutions passed by the Dáil Éireann and the Seanad Éireann on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 Instrument 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality... - 2002–2008: Tribunal of Inquiry into complaints concerning some Gardaí of the DonegalCounty DonegalCounty Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
Division, the Morris TribunalMorris TribunalThe Morris Tribunal is a Public Inquiry to address allegations of the 1990s and early 2000s against the Garda Síochána , the national police force of the Republic of Ireland... - 2005–ongoing: Commission of Investigation: Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974Commission of Investigation: Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974After publication of Justice Henry Barron's report on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the Irish Government established a follow-on Commission of Investigation: Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974 to inquire into certain aspects of the Gardaí investigation into the 1974 bombings on May 13, 2005...
(Sole Member: Patrick MacEntee SC QC) - 2005: the Travers Report into overcharging of fees at some nursing homeNursing homeA nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
s. Between refundable fees and legal costs the Tribunal's findings would cost €500 million. - 2005: the Ferns Report on clerical sexual abuse in the Irish Catholic Diocese of Ferns, County Wexford
- 2005- : the Smithwick Tribunal, investigating whether Irish officials assisted in the deaths of two RUC officers in 1989
- 2008: the Baker-Tilly Report into procurement practices at Córas Iompair ÉireannCóras Iompair ÉireannCóras Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
- 2000–2009 The Ryan Report (CICA) on child abuse at religiously-run institutions
- 2006–2009: The Murphy ReportMurphy ReportThe Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
on the Sexual abuse scandal in Dublin archdiocese
United Kingdom
An inquiry is usually chaired by a well-known and well-respected member of the upper echelons of British society, such as a judge, lordLord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
, professor or senior civil servant.
List of public inquiries in the UK
| Inquiry name | Announcement date | Launch date | Report date | Chaired by | Reason for inquiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treachery of the Blue Books Treachery of the Blue Books The Treachery of the Blue Books or Treason of the Blue Books was the name given in Wales to the Reports of the commissioners of enquiry into the state of education in Wales published in 1847. The term Brad y Llyfrau Gleision was coined by the author R. J... |
1847 | The poor state of education in Wales | |||
| Lynskey tribunal Lynskey tribunal The Lynskey tribunal was a tribunal of inquiry into allegations of corruption among British government ministers and civil servants. The allegations raised public alarm and disgust in the economic climate of austerity that prevailed in contemporary Britain... |
1948 | Allegations of corruption in the Government and the civil service | |||
| Aberfan disaster inquiry | Oct 1966 | Aug 1967 | Sir Herbert Edmund Davies | The tipping of coal waste to slide into Pantglas Junior School in Aberfan, killing 144 on 21 October 1966. The inquiry represents something of a watershed, particularly into inquiries related to coal-mining disasters. Prior inquiries are usually described by historians as whitewashes. This inquiry openly and damningly blamed the disaster on the National Coal Board National Coal Board The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947... |
|
| Tay Bridge disaster Tay Bridge disaster The Tay Bridge disaster occurred on 28 December 1879, when the first Tay Rail Bridge, which crossed the Firth of Tay between Dundee and Wormit in Scotland, collapsed during a violent storm while a train was passing over it. The bridge was designed by the noted railway engineer Sir Thomas Bouch,... |
The fall of the Tay bridge on 28 December 1879. An express train was lost as the bridge fell, killing 75 people. The inquiry found that the bridge had been "badly designed, badly built and badly maintained" | ||||
| Cullen Inquiry Dunblane massacre The Dunblane massacre was a multiple murder-suicide which occurred at Dunblane Primary School in the Scottish town of Dunblane on 13 March 1996. Sixteen children and one adult were killed by Thomas Hamilton before he committed suicide.-Timeline of events:... |
Mar 1996 | Sep 1996 | Lord Cullen William Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk William Douglas Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk, is one of the senior members of the Scottish judiciary. He formerly served as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session, and was an additional Lord of Appeal in the House of Lords prior to the transfer of its judicial... |
The shootings at Dunblane Primary School by Thomas Hamilton on 13 March 1996 | |
| The May Inquiry Sir John May Sir John May was a former Court of Appeal judge appointed by the British Government to investigate the miscarriages of justice related to the Maguire Seven and other miscarriages linked to IRA bombing offences... |
1989 | Eventually transformed into the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice Royal Commission on Criminal Justice The Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, also known as the Runciman Commission, was established on 14 March 1991 by the Home Secretary. The Commission was the continuation of Sir John May's inquiry into the false convictions of the Maguire Seven and extension to other miscarriages of justice... |
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| The Saville Inquiry | 1998 | Bloody Sunday – the killing of 14 people by soldiers of the Parachute Regiment in Derry on 30 January 1972. | |||
| The Widgery Tribunal | 1972 | Also concerned with the Bloody Sunday shootings | |||
| The Lane Inquiry | 20 November 1972 | 14 April 1973 | Mr Justice Lane Geoffrey Lane, Baron Lane Geoffrey Dawson Lane, Baron Lane AFC PC QC was a British Judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of England from 1980 to 1992. The later part of his term was marred by a succession of disputed convictions... |
The loss of British European Airways Flight 548 British European Airways Flight 548 British European Airways Flight 548 was a Hawker Siddeley Trident 1C airliner, registration G-ARPI, operating as a British European Airways scheduled commercial passenger flight from London Heathrow Airport to Brussels, Belgium... on 18 June 1972 |
|
| The Bristol Inquiry | October 1998 | Jul 2001 | Professor Sir Ian Kennedy | Children's heart surgery carried out at the Bristol Royal Infirmary Hospital Bristol Royal Infirmary The Bristol Royal Infirmary, also known as the BRI, is a large teaching hospital situated in the centre of Bristol, England. It has links with the medical faculty of the nearby University of Bristol, and the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of the West of England, also in... between 1984 and 1995 |
|
| Laming Inquiry | Jan 2003 | Lord Laming | An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Victoria Climbié Victoria Climbié In 2000 in London, England, an eight-year-old Ivorian girl Victoria Adjo Climbié was tortured and murdered by her guardians... |
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| Fingerprint Inquiry Fingerprint Inquiry The Fingerprint Inquiry is a public inquiry set up by Scottish Government ministers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to look at the steps which were taken to identify and verify the fingerprints associated with the case of HM Advocate v McKie in 1999... |
Jun 2009 | Sir Anthony Campbell Anthony Campbell (judge) Sir Anthony Campbell PC, is a former Lord Justice of Appeal in Northern Ireland .-Background:Campbell, the son of Harold Campbell CBE, attended Campbell College, Belfast and Queens' College, Cambridge... |
"The steps taken to verify the fingerprints associated with the case of the Lord Advocate Lord Advocate Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament... v Shirley McKie Shirley McKie Shirley McKie is a former Scottish police detective who was accused by fingerprint analysis staff of the Scottish Criminal Record Office of leaving her thumb print on the bathroom door frame of a murder crime-scene in Kilmarnock on 14 January 1997.... in 1999, and related matters" |
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| Fraser Inquiry | 15 September 2004 | Construction of the late and overbudget Scottish Parliament Building Scottish Parliament Building The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7... |
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| The Public Inquiry into the September 2005 Outbreak of E.coli O157 in South Wales | 19 March 2009 | Professor Hugh Pennington Hugh Pennington Hugh Pennington FRCPath, FRCP FMedSci, FRSE is emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Outside academia, he is best known as the chair of the Pennington Group enquiry into the Scottish Escherichia coli outbreak of 1996 and as Chairman of the Public Inquiry... |
"The circumstances that led to the outbreak of E.coli O157 infection in South Wales South Wales South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of... in September 2005, and into the handling of the outbreak; and to consider the implications for the future and make recommendations accordingly" |
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| Hutton Inquiry Hutton Inquiry The Hutton Inquiry was a 2003 judicial inquiry in the UK chaired by Lord Hutton, who was appointed by the Labour government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.On 18 July 2003, Kelly, an employee... |
Aug 2003 | Sep 2003 | Jan 2004 | Lord Hutton of Bresagh | The circumstances surrounding the suicide of weapons of mass destruction Weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general... expert David Kelly |
| The Shipman Inquiry The Shipman Inquiry The Shipman Inquiry was the report produced by a British governmental investigation into the activities of general practitioner and serial killer Harold Shipman. Shipman was caught in 1998 and the inquiry commenced after his trial in 2000. It released its findings in various stages, with its sixth... |
Sep 2000 | Feb 2001 | Jul 2002 | Janet Smith | An investigation into the issues surrounding the case of mass murderer Harold Shipman Harold Shipman Harold Fredrick Shipman was an English doctor and one of the most prolific serial killers in recorded history with 218 murders being positively ascribed to him.... |
| Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry | Jul 2000 | Lord Cullen William Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk William Douglas Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk, is one of the senior members of the Scottish judiciary. He formerly served as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session, and was an additional Lord of Appeal in the House of Lords prior to the transfer of its judicial... |
Rail crash Ladbroke Grove rail crash The Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash was a rail accident which occurred on 5 October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove, London, England. Thirty-one people were killed and more than 520 injured... outside Paddington station Paddington station Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates... in October 1999 |
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| Robert Hamill Inquiry Robert Hamill Inquiry The Robert Hamill Inquiry was set up in 2004 by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy.- Background :The Inquiry was established to investigate the death of Robert Hamill, following an incident in Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland on 27 April 1997... |
Nov 2004 | Sir Edwin Jowitt | The Inquiry was established to investigate the death of Robert Hamill, following an incident in Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland on 27 April 1997. | ||
| Ladbroke Grove Ladbroke Grove rail crash The Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash was a rail accident which occurred on 5 October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove, London, England. Thirty-one people were killed and more than 520 injured... and Southall Southall rail crash The Southall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 19 September 1997, on the Great Western Main Line at Southall, west London. Seven people were killed and 139 injured... (joint inquiry) |
Sep 2000 | Dec 2000 | Lord Cullen William Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk William Douglas Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk, is one of the senior members of the Scottish judiciary. He formerly served as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session, and was an additional Lord of Appeal in the House of Lords prior to the transfer of its judicial... |
Rail crash outside Paddington station Paddington station Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates... in October 1999 and Southall Southall rail crash The Southall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 19 September 1997, on the Great Western Main Line at Southall, west London. Seven people were killed and 139 injured... |
|
| The ICL Inquiry (joint inquiry) | Jan 2008 | Jul 2008 | Lord Gill | Explosion at ICL plastics factory Stockline Plastics factory explosion On May 11, 2004, the ICL Plastics factory , in the Woodside district of Glasgow in western Scotland, exploded. Nine people were killed, including two company directors, and 33 injured, 15 seriously... in Glasgow, May 2004, killing 9 and injuring 33 |
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| The Iraq Inquiry | 15 June 2009 | 30 July 2009 | Sir John Chilcot John Chilcot The Rt. Hon. Sir John Chilcot, GCB, PC is a Privy Counsellor and former civil servant. His appointment as chair of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath was announced in June 2009.... |
"To identify the lessons to be learnt from the Iraq conflict" | |
| The Leveson Inquiry Leveson Inquiry The Leveson Inquiry is an ongoing public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal. On 6 July 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced to Parliament that a public government inquiry would convene to further... |
13 July 2011 | 14 November 2011 | Lord Justice Leveson Brian Leveson Brian Henry Leveson QC , previously styled as the Honourable Mr Justice Leveson, now styled as the Right Honourable Lord Justice Leveson, is an English Judge, a Lord Justice of Appeal for England and Wales and, since 2010, head of the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.It was announced on 13... |
An inquiry "into the culture, practices and ethics of the press" in light of the issues surrounding the News International phone hacking scandal |
See also
- Royal CommissionRoyal CommissionIn Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
- TribunalTribunalA tribunal in the general sense is any person or institution with the authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title....
For a full list of UK public inquiries see the National Archives list.