Our record of major incidents requiring a Public Inquiry is truly shocking. Shocking because of the number of Inquiries & the astronomic cost & length of time they take. Shocking because of the lengths people go to to prevaricate & deceive in order to protect themselves & or their organisations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_public_inquiries_in_the_United_Kingdom
These are a few that particularly stand out for me.
2011 - Levison Press hacking Inquiry
2012 - Hillsborough Disaster Inquiry
2015 - Undercover Policing Inquiry
2015 - Child Sexual Abuse Inquiry, which I think was the most expensive & cost over £143,505,910. by 2020 & wasn't complete
In 2020 three ongoing public inquiries which had been running for over five years had each cost over £14 million.
2017 - Grenfell Tower Inquiry
2021 - Covid 19 Inquiry
2021 - Post Office Horizon Inquiry
2024 - Infected Blood inquiry
Between 1990 and 2017 UK governments spent at least £630m on public inquiries. Most public inquiries take at least two years to complete their work. As of August 2023, there were 13 statutory inquiries taking place in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A statutory public inquiry is usually set up and funded by government but is conducted by an independent body to investigate matters of public concern. Funded by government means that it is paid for by the taxpayer. Inquiries can have special powers to compel testimony and the release of other forms of evidence. But non-statutory inquiries lack the subpoena powers and ability to take evidence under oath that are afforded to statutory inquiries. A public inquiry is expected to report on its findings and make recommendations for improvements in future.
The thing that stands out is that Public Inquiries happen when something is so wrong that a groundswell of opinion & publicity forces a government to act. The default position is to try to cover up. To try to kick the event into the "long grass". It seems that no one is prepared nowadays to admit fault of any kind. Mistakes are not allowed to surface. The goal is to protect the people & institutions that have failed in some way & never mind the huge collteral damage to people & their lives.
It simply is not acceptable. We deserve to have a culture that accepts that mistakes are made by human beings who are never perfect. There should be a culture of full disclosure. Yes people should be held accountable. It may be difficult, but it would be a damn sight quicker, cheaper & more just. If we don't achieve that we are not a democratic & moral society.
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