Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005 appointed

• Membership: Inquiries Act 2005 Committee

The suggestion for this inquiry came in a letter to the Liaison Committee from Lord Shutt of Greetland, who has been appointed as Chairman of the Inquiries Act Committee. His suggestion was for "an ad hoc committee on inquiries", and concluded: "Such a committee could review whether the current system of statutory and non-statutory inquiries and reviews operate in a way which are effective, cost-efficient and command full public confidence."

The Liaison Committee accepted this suggestion, but its recommendation was for a Committee to conduct post-legislative scrutiny of the Inquiries Act 2005. The terms of reference agreed by the House on 16 May are "to consider the law and practice relating to inquiries into matters of public concern, in particular the Inquiries Act 2005". This will allow the Committee to consider non-statutory inquiries in addition to those set up under the Act. The Committee will meet for the first time in the week of 3 June.