UK Public Inquiries

Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry

Professor Sir Ian Kennedy

Est. Oct 1998 · Final report Jul 2001

Public inquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary between 1984 and 1995 which found that up to 35 children died who might have survived had they been …

Legg Inquiry into the Sandline Affair

Sir Thomas Legg KCB QC

Est. May 1998 · Closed Jul 1998

Independent inquiry conducted by Sir Thomas Legg and Sir Robin Ibbs into the conduct of Foreign Office officials during the Sandline affair, in which British company Sandline International supplied arms …

Southall Rail Accident Inquiry

Professor John Uff QC

Est. Feb 1998 · Closed Sep 2000

Statutory public inquiry into the Southall rail crash of 19 September 1997 in which a Great Western express collided with a freight train at Southall, West London, killing 7 people …

BSE Inquiry

Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers

Est. Jan 1998 · Final report Oct 2000

Inquiry into the emergence and identification of BSE and variant CJD and the government response up to March 1996.

Stephen Lawrence Inquiry

Sir William Macpherson

Est. Jul 1997 · Final report Feb 1999

Inquiry into the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence on 22 April 1993 which found institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police Service.

Cullen Inquiry into Dunblane

Lord Cullen

Est. Mar 1996 · Final report Oct 1996

Public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996 when Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and their teacher before killing himself.

North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal

Sir Ronald Waterhouse

Est. Jan 1996 · Final report Feb 2000

Tribunal investigating the physical and sexual abuse of children in care homes in North Wales between 1974 and 1990.

Sir Richard Scott

Est. Nov 1992 · Final report Feb 1996

Inquiry into exports of defence equipment and dual-use goods to Iraq and related prosecutions including the Matrix Churchill case.

Inquiry into the Supervision of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International

Lord Justice Thomas Bingham

Est. Jul 1991 · Closed Oct 1992

Non-statutory inquiry into the Bank of England's supervision of Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) following the bank's collapse in July 1991 amid revelations of massive fraud. Concluded that …

Orkney Child Abuse Inquiry

Lord Clyde

Est. Jun 1991 · Final report Oct 1992

Inquiry into the removal of nine children from their homes in South Ronaldsay in February 1991 on grounds of alleged ritual child abuse.

Committee of Inquiry into Complaints About Ashworth Hospital

Louis Blom-Cooper QC

Est. Apr 1991 · Closed Aug 1992

Committee of inquiry into allegations of patient abuse and maltreatment at Ashworth Special Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility in Merseyside, triggered by a Channel 4 television documentary. Found extensive evidence …

Inquiry into Prison Disturbances April 1990

Lord Justice Harry Woolf

Est. May 1990 · Closed Feb 1991

Public inquiry into the April 1990 disturbances at HMP Strangeways and 20 other prisons across England and Wales. The Strangeways riot lasted 25 days and was the longest prison riot …

Lord Justice Taylor

Est. May 1989 · Final report Jan 1990

Inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster of 15 April 1989 when 97 Liverpool FC supporters were fatally crushed at Sheffield Wednesday's ground during an FA Cup semi-final.

Clapham Junction Inquiry

Anthony Hidden QC

Est. Dec 1988 · Final report Sep 1989

Investigation into the Clapham Junction railway accident of 12 December 1988 in which three trains collided killing 35 people and injuring over 400.

Lord Cullen

Est. Nov 1988 · Final report Nov 1990

Public inquiry into the Piper Alpha oil platform disaster of 6 July 1988 in the North Sea which killed 167 workers.

Desmond Fennell QC

Est. Feb 1988 · Final report Nov 1988

Investigation into the King's Cross Underground fire of 18 November 1987 which killed 31 people. Found the fire was caused by a lighted match igniting accumulated grease beneath a wooden …

Cleveland Child Abuse Inquiry

Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss

Est. Jul 1987 · Final report Jul 1988

Inquiry into the handling of suspected child abuse cases in Cleveland in 1987 where 121 children were removed from their families based on controversial diagnoses by two paediatricians.

Herald of Free Enterprise Inquiry

Mr Justice Sheen

Est. Apr 1987 · Final report Jul 1987

Formal investigation into the capsizing of the Herald of Free Enterprise ro-ro ferry off Zeebrugge on 6 March 1987 which killed 193 people.