Government commits to public inquiry recommendations transparency

Julian Diaz-Rainey of Pinsent Masons was commenting after the government made the commitment in its response to the final Grenfell Tower inquiry report last week. In its response (76-page / 375KB PDF), the government pledged to adopt all 58 recommendations made by the inquiry, which reported last September, including a series of recommendations aimed at improving transparency and oversight of implementation of the inquiry’s recommendations.

On implementation of the Grenfell Tower inquiry recommendations, the government “committed to being transparent” in the way it reports on progress against the delivery of all 58 recommendations. This includes committing to establishing a cross-government ministerial implementation board to monitor the work being undertaken to complete the recommendations and sign-off on progress reports that the government will make available to the public and parliament.

On a wider basis, the government acknowledged the desire to improve transparency over recommendations from other public inquiries and set out its plans to achieve that in its report.

“Public inquiries can shed light on injustices of the past, provide a means for those affected to finally have their voices heard, ensure that terrible disasters, tragedies or scandals are not repeated, and help to rebuild trust in national institutions,” the government said. “But too often, past governments have failed to act upon the recommendations of inquiries, leading to errors being repeated and more lives lost. Some have also responded to recommendations in a piecemeal and opaque way, which damages public confidence and fails the victims. This is why this government takes the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendation seriously and is determined to be transparent and open in its response to all future inquiry recommendations.”

“To this end, the government will establish a publicly accessible record of all recommendations made by public inquiries since 2024. We will ensure that this becomes standard practice for all future public inquiry reports and we will consider putting the requirement to maintain such a record on a statutory footing. This is part of wider consideration of reforms to the frameworks around inquiries which is currently underway, led by the Minister for the Cabinet Office. We are considering this particularly within the context of both the establishment of the Independent Public Advocate and a statutory duty of candour, which are important additions to the wider system of administrative justice,” it added.

Diaz-Rainey, an expert in public inquiries, said it is vital to learn lessons from public inquiries but highlighted that this can only happen if inquiry recommendations are implemented.

“The greater emphasis on transparency in terms of publishing recommendations and monitoring their progress should be welcomed,” Diaz-Rainey said. “Public inquiries are an important way of learning lessons and making recommendations for securing improvements in the future, but there can only be real change insofar as the recommendations are implemented.”