Inquiries Act 2005 Select Committee
Public inquiries - the victim's view
23 October 2013
Hacked off campaigner Christopher Jefferies and Cure the NHS founder Julie Bailey give evidence to Inquiries Act committee.
The Committee is investigating how well the Act ensures that public inquiries are carried out as effectively and thoroughly as possible.
Witnesses
At approximately 10.40am, Wednesday 23 October 2013, Committee Room 4a, Palace of Westminster
- Christopher Jefferies took part in the Leveson Inquiry in 2012, giving evidence about his treatment by the tabloid press following the murder of his tenant, Bristol landscape architect Joanna Yeates. He subsequently won libel damages and has since become an advocate for press reform in the campaign group Hacked Off.
- Julie Bailey formed the campaign group Cure the NHS, following the death of her mother at Stafford Hospital, and fought to establish a full public inquiry into the failings and high death rates at the hospital and the responsibility of the NHS Trust.
Purpose of the Session
Mr Jefferies and Miss Bailey will be asked by the Lords committee if they feel that their respective public inquiries got to the truth of what happened and achieved what they wanted.
Other questions the witnesses will be asked include:
- How powerless would you feel if the Government decides not to hold a public inquiry?
- Did you feel you had the opportunity to say everything you wanted to say during the inquiry?
- Do you think people are sometimes frightened to come forward to give evidence?
- Do you think the procedure for implementing the recommendations in a report is adequate?
- Has the Act succeeded in securing confidence in inquiries from those closely involved?