Select committee to scrutinise public inquiries and implementation of their findings

A public inquiry is a government-sanctioned investigation into a specific issue of ‘public concern’ which is conducted by an independent body. It must be called by a Government minister and is publicly funded. 

In the last 35 years, more than 70 public inquiries have been established covering a variety of issues. Recent examples include the Infected Blood Inquiry and the Covid Inquiry. 

Following on from recommendations aimed at Parliament in the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, the PACAC is requesting “expert evidence” on how the Government should respond when there are calls for a public inquiry, and how the implementation of recommendations are scrutinised. 

Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Simon Hoare MP, said: “Public Inquiries are an essential tool for understanding some of the UK’s most complex issues and play a crucial role in getting answers where the usual systems or processes have failed to provide them. 

“It is of the utmost importance that the public can have confidence in why they are initiated and how their findings are implemented. That is why both of those issues will be our key focusses in this work.” 

Evidence must be submitted to the Committee by 6 February 2026.

Lottie Winson