Administrative lawLesson 2 of 3 in the course Ombudsman and accountability

Public Inquiries: Appointment, Evidence, Reports, and National Procedures

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

A public inquiry is an official review ordered by a government body to examine an event or actions. This lesson explains how inquiries work, why governments may or may not establish them, what their reports can achieve, and how procedures vary across countries.

A public inquiry, also called a tribunal of inquiry or government inquiry, is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body. It may be established by a parliamentary inquiry committee or another government authority.

All flashcards

Public inquiry
An official review of events or actions ordered by a government body, often with a public hearing process and a focus on a specific occurrence.
Evidence in a public inquiry
Interested members of the public and organisations may submit written evidence; oral evidence from other parties may also be heard.
Factors affecting appointment of an inquiry
Media coverage, potential political blame, time, and cost can influence whether a government appoints an inquiry.
Public inquiry report
A written account of an inquiry's conclusions, usually with recommendations, first given to the government and made public soon afterwards.
Déclaration d'utilité publique
A French formal finding, following a favourable inquiry, that a qualifying project will produce public benefit.

Quiz questions

  1. What did a 2016 study conclude about public inquiry reports and public opinion?Answer: They were not effective in changing opinion about the events examined.
  2. What does empirical research indicate about appointing an inquiry and later media attention?Answer: Evidence does not support a causal decline in media attention after appointment.
  3. How may a public inquiry report's conclusions relate to public trust?Answer: Critical findings tend to build trust; findings of no government fault may weaken it.
  4. Which matters have been examined by historically important public inquiries in democratic South Africa?Answer: Apartheid-era human-rights abuses and widespread corruption.
  5. During the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, what was one of the protesters' five key demands?Answer: Establish a commission of inquiry into the protests.

Based on the Wikipedia article Public inquiry, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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