ETI-1
Response
Accepted in Part
AI-assessed
Public Inquiry Efficiency
Recommendation
Scottish Ministers should review public inquiries to find cost-effective methods of avoiding establishment delays, potentially creating a dedicated unit within the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and publishing updated guidance.
Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
According to gov.scot on 24 Nov 2025, the Scottish Government published "Public inquiries: Guidance for Ministers and officials on whether an inquiry should be established" on 24 November 2025, which sets out considerations for establishing inquiries, including cost and timing. According to the Transport Secretary Statement, 2 Nov 2023, the Transport Secretary had stated on 2 November 2023 that similar guidance was already in development and had been shared with recent inquiries.
How was this assessed?
Assessed by gemini-2.5-flash on 19 Mar 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
External sources searched: www.gov.uk, www.gov.scot, www.legislation.gov.uk, hansard.parliament.uk
Jurisdiction
Scotland
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in Part
Accepted in Part
Scottish Government
02 Nov 2023
The Scottish Government stated that guidance similar to that suggested is already in development for the efficient establishment of inquiries and has been shared with recent inquiries. Source: Transport Secretary Statement, 2 November 2023.
Progress Timeline
Official Report
02 Nov 2023
Initial status based on Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council responses to the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report (September 2023).
Responsible Bodies
Scottish Government
Primary
Themes & Tags
Recommendation age
2.6 yrs
Last formal update
873 days ago