Inquiries Act 2005

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Constitution of inquiry

    1. 1.Power to establish inquiry

    2. 2.No determination of liability

    3. 3.The inquiry panel

    4. 4.Appointment of inquiry panel

    5. 5.Setting-up date and terms of reference

    6. 6.Minister’s duty to inform Parliament or Assembly

    7. 7.Further appointments to inquiry panel

    8. 8.Suitability of inquiry panel

    9. 9.Requirement of impartiality

    10. 10.Appointment of judge as panel member

    11. 11.Assessors

    12. 12.Duration of appointment of members of inquiry panel

    13. 13.Power to suspend inquiry

    14. 14.End of inquiry

  3. Conversion of inquiries

    1. 15.Power to convert other inquiry into inquiry under this Act

    2. 16.Inquiries converted under section 15

  4. Inquiry proceedings

    1. 17.Evidence and procedure

    2. 18.Public access to inquiry proceedings and information

    3. 19.Restrictions on public access etc

    4. 20.Further provisions about restriction notices and orders

    5. 21.Powers of chairman to require production of evidence etc

    6. 22.Privileged information etc

    7. 23.Risk of damage to the economy

  5. Inquiry reports

    1. 24.Submission of reports

    2. 25.Publication of reports

    3. 26.Laying of reports before Parliament or Assembly

  6. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

    1. 27.United Kingdom inquiries

    2. 28.Scottish inquiries

    3. 29.Welsh inquiries

    4. 30.Northern Ireland inquiries

    5. 31.The relevant part of the United Kingdom and the applicable rules

  7. Inquiries for which more than one Minister responsible

    1. 32.Joint inquiries

    2. 33.Inquiries involving more than one administration

    3. 34.Change of responsibility for inquiry

  8. Supplementary

    1. 35.Offences

    2. 36.Enforcement by High Court or Court of Session

    3. 37.Immunity from suit

    4. 38.Time limit for applying for judicial review

    5. 39.Payment of inquiry expenses by Minister

    6. 40.Expenses of witnesses etc

  9. General

    1. 41.Rules

    2. 42.Notices etc

    3. 43.Interpretation

    4. 44.Transitory, transitional and saving provisions

    5. 45.Suspension of devolved government in Northern Ireland

  10. Amendments etc

    1. 46.Inquiries under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

    2. 47.Inquiries etc under Northern Ireland legislation

    3. 48.Minor and consequential amendments

    4. 49.Repeals and revocations

  11. Final provisions

    1. 50.Crown application

    2. 51.Commencement

    3. 52.Extent

    4. 53.Short title

  12. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Provisions applicable to inquiries etc under Northern Ireland legislation

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Minor and consequential amendments

      1. Part 1 Acts of Parliament

        1. 1.Regulation of Railways Act 1871 (c. 78)

        2. 2.Ministry of Transport Act 1919 (c. 50)

        3. 3.Road and Rail Traffic Act 1933 (c. 53)

        4. 4.Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 (c. 47)

        5. 5.Mental Health Act 1959 (c. 72)

        6. 6.Transport Act 1962 (c. 46)

        7. 7.National Health Service Act 1977 (c. 49)

        8. 8.Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14)

        9. 9.Mental Health Act 1983 (c. 20)

        10. 10.Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27)

        11. 11.Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52)

        12. 12.Children Act 1989 (c. 41)

        13. 13.Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (c. 13)

        14. 14.Police Act 1996 (c. 16)

        15. 15.Education Act 1996 (c. 56)

        16. 16.Police Act 1997 (c. 50)

        17. 17.Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 (c. 32)

        18. 18.Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14)

        19. 19.Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14)

        20. 20.Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23)

        21. 21.(1) Section 18 of that Act (exceptions to section 17)...

        22. 22.Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32)

        23. 23.Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38)

        24. 24.Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21)

      2. Part 2 Acts of the Scottish Parliament

        1. 25.Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 5)

      3. Part 3 Northern Ireland legislation

        1. 26.Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1923 (c. 31 (N.I.))

        2. 27.Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 (c. 13 (N.I.))

        3. 28.Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (c. 18 (N.I))

        4. 29.Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14))

        5. 30.Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9))

        6. 31.Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/154 (N.I. 1))

        7. 32.Agricultural Marketing (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (S.I. 1982/1080 (N.I. 12))

        8. 33.Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/594 (N.I. 3))

        9. 34.Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987/2203 (N.I. 22))

        10. 35.Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/3160 (N.I. 15))

        11. 36.Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2))

        12. 37.Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1297 (N.I. 7))

        13. 38.Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/276 (N.I. 2))

        14. 39.Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1504 (N.I. 9))

        15. 40.Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/417 (N.I. 4))

        16. 41.Commissioner for Children and Young People (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/439 (N.I. 11))

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Repeals and revocations