Public Inquiry Recommendations

RHI-18 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Inter-Governmental Framework

More generally, we recommend a Northern Ireland government-wide framework for information exchange and, where appropriate, co-operation between the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Whitehall Departments and (where relevant) Departments of other …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-19 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Business Case Approval Redesign

The processes within a Department for approving new expenditure and business cases including, where it forms part of that process, the role of Casework Committees, should be thoroughly re-designed to …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full, stating it was addressed through the Review of the Expenditure Approval and Business …

RHI-20 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Flexible Expenditure Rules

Public expenditure rules should be sufficiently flexible so that false economies can be avoided. In order to deliver a policy objective, Departments should not be required to choose a more …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation, noting that public expenditure in Northern Ireland is governed by UK budgeting rules set by …

RHI-21 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Sceptical Business Case Scrutiny

The Department of Finance's distinctive role in scrutinising business cases should be searching and sceptical, guarding against over-reliance on the assurances offered by the applicant Department.

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-22 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Proactive DoF Monitoring

Particularly where a policy initiative is demand-led, novel, complex and/or likely to be lengthy, consideration should be given to increasing Department of Finance involvement from an early stage and on …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full, stating that the Department of Finance now applies non-standard conditions of approval for …

RHI-23 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Ministerial Notification of Approval Conditions

Ministers should always be advised of any conditions attached to the approval of a policy or project by the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance should also require, and …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-24 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Staff Move Sequencing

Senior managers in the Civil Service must take responsibility for guiding and, where necessary, sequencing the timing of staff moves so that continuity of business is secured. This includes allowing …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-25 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Ministerial Decision-Making

In light of their legal responsibility to direct and control the Department for which they are responsible, and their democratic accountability to the Northern Ireland Assembly, ministerial decisions should be …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-26 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Meeting Records

Notes of significant meetings between officials and ministers, particularly those affecting decision-making and spending, must be taken and retained. The responsibility for ensuring this is done should be clearly identified …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-27 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Private Office Record Keeping

Ministers' responses to submissions should be formally and timeously recorded and disseminated to officials by the Minister's Private Office. That responsibility should not be left to policy teams. One clear …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-28 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Record Keeping Culture and Audit

The culture and practice of record keeping and access to records within the Northern Ireland Civil Service needs to change so that staff responsible for a given area of work …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-29 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Departmental Finance Functions

The finance function within a Department should exert the necessary authority and capability to fulfil the requirements of 'Managing Public Money Northern Ireland', namely to retain a firm grasp of …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-30 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Budget Holder Financial Training

Civil servants who are responsible for holding and monitoring a budget should have to demonstrate core requirements in financial literacy and an understanding of how public spending operates, including what …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-31 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Value for Money Priority

Any imperative to spend a budget within a given timeframe should not be allowed to take precedence over how that budget is used and the longer term benefits and overall …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-32a Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Governance Systems Review

The checks and balances within a Department designed to catch problems early failed over many years in DETI to identify certain of the risks of the RHI or their materialisation. …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-32b Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Civil Servants Raising Concerns

Civil servants should be encouraged not to feel in any way inhibited about disclosing possible or emerging problems, raising concerns, negative aspects or adverse criticisms of a project as necessary …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-33 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

HMT Communication Protocol

The protocol for relations with HMT, namely that the Northern Ireland Department of Finance must be the sole conduit of formal communication, should be reinforced and widely understood across the …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-34 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Rapid Response Capacity

The Northern Ireland Civil Service should have regard to best practice elsewhere about how to respond effectively when serious problems emerge, such as those that did so with the non-domestic …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-35 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Early Warning Systems

Better systems are needed for spotting early warnings and concerns from the public and businesses that something unexpected could be happening or going wrong with an initiative. Simply updating existing …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-36 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Learning from Failures

The Northern Ireland Civil Service should develop a better process to learn from past failures, one that goes beyond the traditional method of revising and circulating internal guidance. Leaders within …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-37 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Reduce Organisational Silos

In keeping with the spirit of the Ministerial Pledge of Office, the Northern Ireland political parties, supported by the Northern Ireland Civil Service, should together agree a set of actions …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-38 Accepted in Part

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Assembly Committee Scrutiny

The Inquiry recommends that the Northern Ireland Assembly should strengthen the scrutiny role of Assembly Committees, reviewing whether the existing balance between legislative and scrutiny work is appropriate, and considering …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive noted that this recommendation was the responsibility of the NI Assembly, not the Executive, and that the Chairpersons' …

RHI-39 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Ministerial Familiarity with Legislation

Any Minister presenting the Assembly with legislation for approval should sufficiently read and familiarise themselves with that legislation and ensure an adequate evidence base is publicly available to demonstrate that …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-40 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Declaration of Interests

Ministers, Special Advisers and officials in Northern Ireland government Departments should declare their interests annually in writing. When any conflict of interest arises during the course of government business each …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-41 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Special Adviser Code of Conduct Revision

The Special Adviser Code of Conduct should be revised. How these changes are achieved will need to be a matter for the political representatives concerned in the construction of a …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-42 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Ministerial Code Revision

The Code of Conduct issued to Northern Ireland Ministers in 2007 (contained within the Northern Ireland Ministerial Code 2006) should be revised and brought up to date reflecting the findings …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-43 Not Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

Independent Compliance Assessment

In addition, the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly ought, in the Inquiry's view, to give due consideration to an independent mechanism to assess compliance with codes of conduct in public …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive accepted this recommendation in full (NI Executive Response to RHI Inquiry, Department of Finance, October 2021). - The …

RHI-44 Accepted

RHI Inquiry (2020)

NIAO Progress Assessment Role

The Inquiry recommends a role in future for the Northern Ireland Audit Office in assessing and validating the extent of progress in implementing the lessons learned from the NI RHI …

- In October 2021, the NI Executive noted that this recommendation was directed at the Northern Ireland Audit Office itself (NI Executive Response to RHI …

HIA-1 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Public Apology

We recommend that the Northern Ireland Executive and those who were responsible for each of the institutions investigated by the Inquiry where we found systemic failings should make a public …

- On 11 March 2022, in the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, five Northern Ireland Executive Ministers delivered a public apology to victims and survivors …

HIA-2 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Memorial at Stormont

We recommend that a suitable physical memorial should be erected in Parliament Buildings, or in the grounds of the Stormont Estate.

- On 20 February 2026, a memorial to victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse was unveiled in Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland Assembly, February 2026). …

HIA-3 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA)

We therefore recommend that a designated person should act as an advocate for such children, and should be responsible for ensuring the co-ordination and availability of services, and identifying suitable …

- On 6 October 2020, Fiona Ryan was appointed as Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) for a five-year term (COSICA Appointment, October …

HIA-4 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Compensation as Lump Sum Payment

We therefore recommend that compensation should take the form of a lump sum payment.

- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established that compensation payments for survivors would take the form of lump sums, as recommended by …

HIA-5 Accepted Urgent

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Publicly Funded Compensation Scheme

We recommend that the Northern Ireland Executive create a publicly funded compensation scheme.

- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established a publicly funded compensation scheme, receiving Royal Assent on 5 November 2019 (Historical Institutional Abuse …

HIA-6 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

HIA Redress Board

We consider the appropriate method of administering the compensation scheme is to create a specific Historic Institutional Abuse Redress Board for that purpose, and we so recommend. The HIA Redress …

- The Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Board was established and opened on 31 March 2020 to administer the compensation scheme (HIA Redress Board, March 2020). …

HIA-7 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Compensation Amounts and Caps

We recommend that the amount of compensation should therefore consist of one or more of the following elements. (i) A standard payment of £7,500 payable to anyone who was abused, …

- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 established the compensation structure, including a standard payment of £7,500, additional payments of £20,000 for those …

HIA-8 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Specialist Care and Assistance Facilities

Sufficient funds should be made available by government on a ring-fenced basis for a fixed period of ten years, subject to a review after five years, to establish dedicated specialist …

- The Victims and Survivors Service launched dedicated support services on 1 December 2020, offering caseworker support, counselling, complementary therapies, and group support in Belfast …

HIA-9 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Social Security Payments Unaffected

We also recommend that social security payments should not be affected by lump sum payments awarded by the HIA Redress Board.

- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 included provisions to ensure that lump sum compensation payments would not affect social security benefits (Historical …

HIA-10 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Compensation Payments Tax-Free

We recommend that payments of compensation should not be taxable, and that the Northern Ireland Executive make representations to the Treasury and to HMRC to achieve this.

- The Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 provided that compensation payments are exempt from taxation (Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019). - …

HIA-11 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Legal Aid for Applicants

We recommend that applicants should be eligible for legal aid to allow them to obtain legal assistance to make an application for an award.

- Legal aid eligibility for applicants seeking compensation was established by the Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act 2019 (Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act …

HIA-12 Accepted

HIA Inquiry (2017)

Financial Contributions from Institutions

We recommend that any voluntary institution found by the Inquiry to have been guilty of systemic failings should be asked to make an appropriate financial contribution to the overall cost …

- Three of the six voluntary institutions identified by the Inquiry as having systemic failings have made financial contributions to the overall cost of the …

ANG-1 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Specialist policy on investigating indecent exposure

At the earliest opportunity, and by September 2024 at the latest, police forces should ensure that they have a specialist policy on investigating all sexual offences, including so-called 'non-contact' offences, …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens stating that all recommendations had been reviewed …

ANG-2 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Improve guidance and training on indecent exposure

By December 2024, the College of Policing, in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs' Council, should improve guidance and training on indecent exposure, in order to improve the quality of …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC and College of Policing committing to address recommendations on police culture and …

ANG-3 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Fundamental review of masturbatory indecent exposure treatment

With immediate effect, the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, College of Policing and National Police Chiefs' Council should work together to conduct a fundamental review of the way masturbatory indecent …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, committing to "conduct a fundamental review of the way masturbatory indecent exposure is treated within …

ANG-4 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Research link between indecent exposure and contact offending

With immediate effect, the Home Office, in collaboration with the College of Policing, should commission research to establish if there is an evidence-based link between active masturbatory indecent exposure and …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, committing to "commission research to establish if there is an evidence-based link between active masturbatory …

ANG-5 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Public campaign on indecent exposure criminality

By March 2025, the Home Office, together with the National Police Chiefs' Council, should launch a public campaign to: a. raise awareness about the illegality/criminality and legal consequences of any …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, committing to "launch a public campaign to raise awareness that indecent exposure and sending unsolicited …

ANG-6 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Review sexual offence allegations against serving officers

By September 2024, the National Police Chiefs' Council, in collaboration with all force vetting units, and building on the results of the recent data-washing exercise, should conduct a review of …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens stating that ongoing national improvement plans would …

ANG-7 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

In-person interviews and home visits for police candidates

With immediate effect, the College of Policing, in collaboration with force recruitment, should ensure that every new candidate applying to become a police officer in any police force undergoes an …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC and College of Policing committing to address recommendations on police culture and …

ANG-8 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Strengthen recruitment and vetting practices

By June 2024, the College of Policing, in collaboration with force vetting units, should take further steps to prevent those unsuitable for policing from joining the policing profession. This should …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC and College of Policing committing to address vetting robustness (Government accepts all …

ANG-9 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Improve vetting decision-making quality and consistency

By March 2025, the College of Policing, in collaboration with force vetting units, should take steps to improve the quality and consistency of police vetting decision-making. This should include encouraging …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC and College of Policing committing to address vetting robustness (Government accepts all …

ANG-10 Accepted

Angiolini Inquiry (2024)

Vetting Code compliance for officer transfers

With immediate effect, all recruiting forces should have regard to the new Vetting Code of Practice, which requires the parent force to provide all relevant information requested about the transferee …

- The government accepted this recommendation on 25 March 2024, with the NPCC Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens confirming all recommendations had been accepted (Government …