Public Inquiries

The tradition of the public inquiry has become a pivotal part of public life, and a major instrument of accountability in the United Kingdom. There have been over 30 significant public inquiries in the decade (including the BSE, Shipman, Hutton, Bloody Sunday and Billy Wright Inquiries). This book is written and edited by practitioners who have appeared in a large number of these significant inquiries. This new work is the first of its kind, and will function as a handbook for practitioners. The work examines and explains both statutory (in particular the Inquiries Act 2005 and the Inquiry Rules 2006) and non-statutory inquiries in chapters relating to the need for and purpose of the public inquiry, the mechanisms for establishing a public inquiry, terms of reference, the subject matter of inquiries, the relationship of inquiries to other legal proceedings, the constitution of an inquiry, the administration of an inquiry, evidence and procedure, public access to an inquiry, immunities and defamation, representation and funding, inquiry reports and the duty to be fair, ending the inquiry and challenging an inquiry. This book is fully indexed and cross-referenced, including extensive referencing to the position in other jurisdictions. With a Foreword written by Lord Brown.

Table of Contents:
1: Introduction 2: Establishing an inquiry 3: The Constitution of an inquiry 4: The Administration of an Inquiry 5: Evidence and Procedure 6: Public Access to an Inquiry 7: Immunitites, Defamation and Undertakings 8: Representation and Funding 9: Inquiry Reports and the Duty to be Fair 10: Ending the Inquiry 11: Challenging an Inquiry 12: The Commonwealth and Reform Appendices Appendix I The Inquires Act 2005 Appendix II The Inquiry Rules 2006 Appendix III The Inquiries (Scotland) Rules 2007

About the Author :
Jason Beer QC is a barrister at 5 Essex Court, Temple. He specializes in public and administrative law. He was counsel in the Lawrence and Hutton Inquiries; lead in the Billy Wright, Rosemary Nelson, Baha Mousa, and Azelle Rodney Inquiries; and is presently counsel to the Al Sweady Inquiry. James Dingemans QC, is a barrister with extensive experience of public inquiries in England and Wales and abroad. He was leading counsel to the Hutton Inquiry in 2003, and to the Potters Bar Inquest in June and July 2010. He was also counsel for soldiers involved in the Baha Mousa Inquiry in 2009-2010. His practice includes constitutional law, as well as commercial litigation raising public law issues. Richard Lissack QC, FLC New York, QC Eastern Caribbean, QC Northern Ireland has appeared at many major public inquiries - Shipman, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Ladbroke Grove, Southall, Burns Inquiry into Hunting, Neale etc. He has also been involved in cases of constitutional significance such as the challenge to the use of the Parliament Act and to the refusal to hold a public inquiry into the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Review :
This book achieves its aim of providing a comprehensive and accessible account of the practice and procedure of a public inquiry. ...a comprehensive and fair treatment of the subject, and a practical resource for anyone instructed in a public inquiry.