Government response to House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee report
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Lord Norton chaired the cross-party House of Lords Committee on Statutory Inquiries which investigated the efficiency and effectiveness of statutory inquiries. It published its report, Public inquiries: Enhancing public trust in September 2024.
Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, has now responded on behalf of the Government, the full details of which are available here.
Commenting on the Government’s response, Lord Norton of Louth said today (Tuesday 11 February 2025): “The Government’s response to our report offers much to welcome. It has agreed with all our principal recommendations. However, as with any reform, the devil lies in the details of implementation. The Government has committed to exploring changes that will enable inquiries to deliver outcomes more quickly and at a lower cost, all while preserving public trust. This commitment to reviewing the current system is a positive first step and we are encouraged by the Government’s intention to update Parliament on the progress of these reforms.”
He added: “A major highlight of our report was the call for a new Parliamentary committee to systematically monitor the implementation of recommendations and ensure that inquiry recommendations are acted upon. A parliamentary committee has the power to question ministers and to pursue calls for further action. While the Government has indicated that the creation of such a committee is a matter for Parliament, it expressed its intent to update Parliament on its broader plans for reform in this area.”
