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| MPs 'should launch own inquiries' | MPs 'should launch own inquiries' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Parliament should be able to bypass ministers and launch its own inquiries into issues of "exceptional" public concern such as the Iraq war, MPs say. | Parliament should be able to bypass ministers and launch its own inquiries into issues of "exceptional" public concern such as the Iraq war, MPs say. |
| The Commons public administration committee said this should apply where the government was "reluctant" to submit itself to scrutiny. | The Commons public administration committee said this should apply where the government was "reluctant" to submit itself to scrutiny. |
| Currently ministers' permission is needed to initiate an inquiry. | Currently ministers' permission is needed to initiate an inquiry. |
| The committee's chairman, Labour's Tony Wright, said it was "up to Parliament to take the initiative". | The committee's chairman, Labour's Tony Wright, said it was "up to Parliament to take the initiative". |
| Demand access | Demand access |
| In their report the MPs noted that, despite the government conceding the eventual need for an inquiry into Iraq, there was no sign of one happening in the foreseeable future. | In their report the MPs noted that, despite the government conceding the eventual need for an inquiry into Iraq, there was no sign of one happening in the foreseeable future. |
| They called for Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry - made up of senior members of both the Houses of Commons and Lords, and appointed by Parliament rather than the government - to be set up. | They called for Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry - made up of senior members of both the Houses of Commons and Lords, and appointed by Parliament rather than the government - to be set up. |
| These would investigate matters of "exceptional" public concern. | These would investigate matters of "exceptional" public concern. |
| The commissions should have powers to summon witnesses and demand access to official papers and hearings should generally be open to the public, the report added. | |
| This is what the public, rightly, expects Parliament to do Tony Wright MP | This is what the public, rightly, expects Parliament to do Tony Wright MP |
| Members should be made Privy Councillors to allow them to view secret security and intelligence files, and external members with specialist expertise could be appointed to sit on relevant inquiries. | Members should be made Privy Councillors to allow them to view secret security and intelligence files, and external members with specialist expertise could be appointed to sit on relevant inquiries. |
| Mr Wright, MP for Cannock Chase, said: "Parliament should be able to initiate inquiries into serious issues of public concern, such as Iraq - especially in cases where the government is reluctant to set up its own inquiry. | Mr Wright, MP for Cannock Chase, said: "Parliament should be able to initiate inquiries into serious issues of public concern, such as Iraq - especially in cases where the government is reluctant to set up its own inquiry. |
| "This is what the public, rightly, expects Parliament to do." | "This is what the public, rightly, expects Parliament to do." |
| A "sifting mechanism" would be required to ensure Parliament was only asked to vote on the establishment of Commissions of Inquiry on the most important issues, the report said. | A "sifting mechanism" would be required to ensure Parliament was only asked to vote on the establishment of Commissions of Inquiry on the most important issues, the report said. |
| It made no recommendation on what that mechanism should be, but suggested the decision to call a vote could be left to the Commons liaison committee - a panel of senior backbenchers which is always dominated by members of the ruling party of the day. | It made no recommendation on what that mechanism should be, but suggested the decision to call a vote could be left to the Commons liaison committee - a panel of senior backbenchers which is always dominated by members of the ruling party of the day. |
| Mr Wright said the commissions "would be a crucial addition to our constitutional arrangements" and "help ensure that Parliament really can hold the executive to account for its actions". | Mr Wright said the commissions "would be a crucial addition to our constitutional arrangements" and "help ensure that Parliament really can hold the executive to account for its actions". |
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