Overview
3.The Inquiries Act is intended to provide a comprehensive statutory framework for inquiries set up by Ministers to look into matters of public concern. It gives effect to proposals contained in a Government consultation paper, dated 6 May 2004 entitled “Effective Inquiries”, which itself arose out of a memorandum, submitted to the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee as part of its “Government by Inquiry” investigation.
4.The explanatory notes are divided into groups of sections reflecting the structure of the Act. In relation to each group of sections, there is a summary, and also some background. Commentary on particular sections is then set out in numerical order, with the commentary on the various Schedules included with the sections to which they relate.
5.The sections are grouped under 10 cross-headings: