Contacted By A Public Inquiry – What Should You Consider

This article considers the mechanism by which individuals or organisations might be asked to engage with a public inquiry by way of a Rule 9 request.

Public inquiries have dominated recent headlines from calls for an Inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry. Accordingly, a growing number of individuals and organisations are being asked to contribute. This article considers the mechanism by which individuals or organisations might be asked to engage with a public inquiry by way of a Rule 9 request.

How is a public inquiry established?

A public inquiry is commissioned by a government minister to look into a controversial public policy issue or a matter of public concern. It will be established as either a statutory or non-statutory inquiry, the former being more formal as they are set up by and governed by the Inquiries Act 2005 and supplemented by the Inquiry Rules 2006.