My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the committee and as a participant in a number of public inquiries, whether as a witness, a lawyer or indeed a chair.

Why do we have more and more of them? What do they achieve? Setting up a public inquiry can...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of the committee and as a participant in a number of public inquiries, whether as a witness, a lawyer or indeed a chair.

Why do we have more and more of them? What do they achieve? Setting up a public inquiry can...

My Lords, I agree with all those who have warmly commended the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and of Hull

University, for his characteristically rigorous, accessible, practical report, and the other members of the committee.

The noble Baroness, Lady Ludford, said that in this place we are allowed to draw...

My Lords, I agree with all those who have warmly commended the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and of Hull

University, for his characteristically rigorous, accessible, practical report, and the other members of the committee.

The noble Baroness, Lady Ludford, said that in this place we are allowed to draw...

My Lords, it was a pleasure to serve on this committee, which was brilliantly chaired by the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth. I echo the tributes to our clerk and policy analyst.

The committee was set up against the background of widespread concern about the effectiveness of statutory inquiries—as well...

My Lords, it was a pleasure to serve on this committee, which was brilliantly chaired by the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth. I echo the tributes to our clerk and policy analyst.

The committee was set up against the background of widespread concern about the effectiveness of statutory inquiries—as well...

My Lords, it was a privilege to serve on the Select Committee. I note that I have appeared before one public inquiry, the IICSA inquiry, and I hope it is not two as I stand ready for the Covid inquiry. Last business on a Friday is an antithesis to the...

My Lords, it was a privilege to serve on the Select Committee. I note that I have appeared before one public inquiry, the IICSA inquiry, and I hope it is not two as I stand ready for the Covid inquiry. Last business on a Friday is an antithesis to the...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and his committee for this report. I agree with the committee’s view that inquiries can be cathartic for victims, survivors and

their families. However, I am not always optimistic that such inquiries necessarily reassure them that similar tragedies are...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and his committee for this report. I agree with the committee’s view that inquiries can be cathartic for victims, survivors and

their families. However, I am not always optimistic that such inquiries necessarily reassure them that similar tragedies are...

My Lords, I too had the pleasure of serving on this committee and add my tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Norton, chair of the committee, and Andrea Dowsett, clerk to the committee, and her team for conducting this inquiry—as exemplary as an inquiry into inquiries should be.

Over some 40...

My Lords, I too had the pleasure of serving on this committee and add my tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Norton, chair of the committee, and Andrea Dowsett, clerk to the committee, and her team for conducting this inquiry—as exemplary as an inquiry into inquiries should be.

Over some 40...

My Lords, as a former chair of a non-statutory inquiry, the Soham inquiry, more recently chair of an expert group advising the Infected Blood Inquiry, and a witness before four public inquiries, I was naturally very interested in reading the report. I very much welcome it and agree with the...

My Lords, as a former chair of a non-statutory inquiry, the Soham inquiry, more recently chair of an expert group advising the Infected Blood Inquiry, and a witness before four public inquiries, I was naturally very interested in reading the report. I very much welcome it and agree with the...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Bichard. He has just ably demonstrated why his Soham inquiry is so regularly cited as one of the best examples of how inquiries can effect real and far-reaching change.

I am afraid that today I am going to repeat...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Bichard. He has just ably demonstrated why his Soham inquiry is so regularly cited as one of the best examples of how inquiries can effect real and far-reaching change.

I am afraid that today I am going to repeat...

My Lords, what a privilege it is to follow such a distinguished line-up of speakers. I commend the noble Lord, Lord Norton, on his brilliant report and his committee. I have two points—although my second point will inevitably echo some of what others have said.

First, the Statutory Inquiries Committee recommends...

My Lords, what a privilege it is to follow such a distinguished line-up of speakers. I commend the noble Lord, Lord Norton, on his brilliant report and his committee. I have two points—although my second point will inevitably echo some of what others have said.

First, the Statutory Inquiries Committee recommends...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton, for chairing the committee. I was one of its members who did not have a legal background, and I was not made to feel too much like I was running to keep up the whole time. It was an interesting process,...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton, for chairing the committee. I was one of its members who did not have a legal background, and I was not made to feel too much like I was running to keep up the whole time. It was an interesting process,...

My Lords, public inquiries are supposed to shine a light into dark corners. Too often they resemble a candle flickering in a drafty room—costly, slow and easily extinguished. When they work, they deliver truth, justice and change. When they fail, they become a bureaucratic cul-de-sac, a place where answers go...

My Lords, public inquiries are supposed to shine a light into dark corners. Too often they resemble a candle flickering in a drafty room—costly, slow and easily extinguished. When they work, they deliver truth, justice and change. When they fail, they become a bureaucratic cul-de-sac, a place where answers go...

My Lords, it is a privilege to respond to today’s debate. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and his committee

for their work on this important subject, and many of the noble Lords in your Lordships’ House today for the work they have done in and on...

My Lords, it is a privilege to respond to today’s debate. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, and his committee

for their work on this important subject, and many of the noble Lords in your Lordships’ House today for the work they have done in and on...

My Lords, I am grateful to all those who have spoken. It has been an excellent debate. I am especially grateful to the Minister for her detailed response. I appreciate enormously what she said about a Joint Committee, and I know we look forward to her updates on the progress...

My Lords, I am grateful to all those who have spoken. It has been an excellent debate. I am especially grateful to the Minister for her detailed response. I appreciate enormously what she said about a Joint Committee, and I know we look forward to her updates on the progress...

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Statutory Inquiries Committee on Enhancing Public Trust (HL 9). Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Statutory Inquiries Committee on Enhancing Public Trust (HL 9). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, it is a particular honour to move this Motion. The Select Committee on Statutory Inquiries was appointed last year as a special inquiry committee to review the report of the committee appointed in 2014 to engage in post-legislative scrutiny of the Inquiries Act 2005. The committee met throughout...

My Lords, it is a particular honour to move this Motion. The Select Committee on Statutory Inquiries was appointed last year as a special inquiry committee to review the report of the committee appointed in 2014 to engage in post-legislative scrutiny of the Inquiries Act 2005. The committee met throughout...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, for his introductory remarks and his clear, disciplined leadership of the committee. With no experience in this field on joining the committee, I was struck by how an industry has grown up around inquiries, where government action and follow-up...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, for his introductory remarks and his clear, disciplined leadership of the committee. With no experience in this field on joining the committee, I was struck by how an industry has grown up around inquiries, where government action and follow-up...

My Lords, the Statutory Inquiries Committee, under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, who introduced this debate, has done parliamentarians, the Government and the public a great service through this excellent report, and I commend it on that.

It is a fitting review, 20 years after the...

My Lords, the Statutory Inquiries Committee, under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, who introduced this debate, has done parliamentarians, the Government and the public a great service through this excellent report, and I commend it on that.

It is a fitting review, 20 years after the...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton, for his wise, inclusive and perceptive chairmanship. I note the expertise of colleagues on the committee and the truly marvellous committee staff, most especially Andrea Dowsett and Matthew Burton.

The noble Lord, Lord Norton, has already outlined our main concerns and conclusions...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Norton, for his wise, inclusive and perceptive chairmanship. I note the expertise of colleagues on the committee and the truly marvellous committee staff, most especially Andrea Dowsett and Matthew Burton.

The noble Lord, Lord Norton, has already outlined our main concerns and conclusions...