OpenLegislation

Inquiries Act 2005

2005 c. 12 · Enacted 7 April 2005 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 January 2024.

An Act to make provision about the holding of inquiries.[7th April 2005]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Constitution of inquiry
  2. 1Power to establish inquiry
  3. 2No determination of liability
  4. 3The inquiry panel
  5. 4Appointment of inquiry panel
  6. 5Setting-up date and terms of reference
  7. 6Minister's duty to inform Parliament or Assembly
  8. 7Further appointments to inquiry panel
  9. 8Suitability of inquiry panel
  10. 9Requirement of impartiality
  11. 10Appointment of judge as panel member
  12. 11Assessors
  13. 12Duration of appointment of members of inquiry panel
  14. 13Power to suspend inquiry
  15. 14End of inquiry
  16. Conversion of inquiries
  17. 15Power to convert other inquiry into inquiry under this Act
  18. 16Inquiries converted under section 15
  19. Inquiry proceedings
  20. 17Evidence and procedure
  21. 18Public access to inquiry proceedings and information
  22. 19Restrictions on public access etc
  23. 20Further provisions about restriction notices and orders
  24. 21Powers of chairman to require production of evidence etc
  25. 22Privileged information etc
  26. 23Risk of damage to the economy
  27. Inquiry reports
  28. 24Submission of reports
  29. 25Publication of reports
  30. 26Laying of reports before Parliament or Assembly
  31. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  32. 27United Kingdom inquiries
  33. 28Scottish inquiries
  34. 29Welsh inquiries
  35. 30Northern Ireland inquiries
  36. 31The relevant part of the United Kingdom and the applicable rules
  37. Inquiries for which more than one Minister responsible
  38. 32Joint inquiries
  39. 33Inquiries involving more than one administration
  40. 34Change of responsibility for inquiry
  41. Supplementary
  42. 35Offences
  43. 36Enforcement by High Court or Court of Session
  44. 37Immunity from suit
  45. 38Time limit for applying for judicial review
  46. 39Payment of inquiry expenses by Minister
  47. 40Expenses of witnesses etc
  48. General
  49. 41Rules
  50. 42Notices etc
  51. 43Interpretation
  52. 44Transitory, transitional and saving provisions
  53. 45Suspension of devolved government in Northern Ireland
  54. Amendments etc
  55. 46Inquiries under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Repealed
  56. 47Inquiries etc under Northern Ireland legislation
  57. 48Minor and consequential amendments
  58. 49Repeals and revocations
  59. Final provisions
  60. 50Crown application
  61. 51Commencement
  62. 52Extent
  63. 53Short title
  64. Schedule 1: Provisions applicable to inquiries etc under Northern Ireland legislation
  65. Paragraph
  66. Schedule 2: Minor and consequential amendments
  67. Part 1: Acts of Parliament
  68. Regulation of Railways Act 1871 (c. 78)
  69. 1Paragraph 1
  70. Ministry of Transport Act 1919 (c. 50)
  71. 2Paragraph 2
  72. Road and Rail Traffic Act 1933 (c. 53)
  73. 3Paragraph 3
  74. Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 (c. 47)
  75. 4Paragraph 4
  76. Mental Health Act 1959 (c. 72)
  77. 5Paragraph 5
  78. Transport Act 1962 (c. 46)
  79. 6Paragraph 6
  80. National Health Service Act 1977 (c. 49)
  81. 7Paragraph 7
  82. Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14)
  83. 8Paragraph 8
  84. Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20)
  85. 9Paragraph 9
  86. Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27)
  87. 10Paragraph 10
  88. Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52)
  89. 11Paragraph 11
  90. Children Act 1989 (c. 41)
  91. 12Paragraph 12
  92. Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (c. 13)
  93. 13Paragraph 13
  94. Police Act 1996 (c. 16)
  95. 14Paragraph 14
  96. Education Act 1996 (c. 56)
  97. 15Paragraph 15
  98. Police Act 1997 (c. 50)
  99. 16Paragraph 16
  100. Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 (c. 32)
  101. 17Paragraph 17
  102. Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14)
  103. 18Paragraph 18 Repealed
  104. Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14)
  105. 19Paragraph 19 Repealed
  106. Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23)
  107. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  108. 21Paragraph 21 Repealed
  109. Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32)
  110. 22Paragraph 22
  111. Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38)
  112. 23Paragraph 23
  113. Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21)
  114. 24Paragraph 24
  115. Part 2: Acts of the Scottish Parliament
  116. Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 5)
  117. 25Paragraph 25
  118. Part 3: Northern Ireland legislation
  119. Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1923 (c. 31 (N.I.))
  120. 26Paragraph 26
  121. Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 (c. 13 (N.I.))
  122. 27Paragraph 27
  123. Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (c. 18 (N.I))
  124. 28Paragraph 28
  125. Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14))
  126. 29Paragraph 29
  127. Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9))
  128. 30Paragraph 30
  129. Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/154 (N.I. 1))
  130. 31Paragraph 31
  131. Agricultural Marketing (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (S.I. 1982/1080 (N.I. 12))
  132. 32Paragraph 32
  133. Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/594 (N.I. 3))
  134. 33Paragraph 33
  135. Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987/2203 (N.I. 22))
  136. 34Paragraph 34
  137. Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/3160 (N.I. 15))
  138. 35Paragraph 35
  139. Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2))
  140. 36Paragraph 36
  141. Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1297 (N.I. 7))
  142. 37Paragraph 37 Repealed
  143. Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/276 (N.I. 2))
  144. 38Paragraph 38
  145. Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1504 (N.I. 9))
  146. 39Paragraph 39
  147. Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/417 (N.I. 4))
  148. 40Paragraph 40
  149. Commissioner for Children and Young People (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/439 (N.I. 11))
  150. 41Paragraph 41
  151. Schedule 3: Repeals and revocations