House of Lords - Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005: The Inquiries Act 2005: Post-legislative Scrutiny - HL 143

This report finds that the Government is not using the legislation enough, and is setting up inquiries with 'inadequate powers'. We really need to make the most of any lessons learned from past inquiries, and make the most of our collective knowledge and proficiency in this field. To do this the Committee urges the Government to set up a Central Inquiries Unit. This would be a new centre of expertise which would enable future inquiries to hit the ground running. It would also make them more efficient, more streamlined and less costly to the public. Overall the Inquiries Act 2005 is robust and effective, but we feel that the Government is not using it in the way it should be. By setting up public inquiries outside of the Act, the Government is creating inquiries which have inadequate powers to do their job. The Home Secretary announced on 6 March a judge-led inquiry into undercover policing following the review by Mark Ellison QC of events after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. She did not say whether or not it was going to be under the 2005 Act. If it is not, the chairman will not be able to summon those witnesses who refused to attend previous reviews. Finally, the Committee believes that when an inquiry calls upon a public body or Government department to carry out any action, these recommendations should be formally accepted or rejected by those third parties.