Every disaster sparks an inquiry these days; so do political ructions, murders and, increasingly, other inquiries. This week, the Public Administration Committee thrashed out what a literary critic might call a meta-inquiry: an investigation into how and why the government calls so many of the things. As Tony Wright, who heads the committee, points out, public inquiries have multiplied and mutated over time. The most systematic follow rules laid down in 1921. These can compel witness, hold people in contempt of court, and generally throw their weight around. Biggest of that particular bunch is the Saville Inquiry, which heard its last oral testimony this week. Charged with investigating the events of Bloody Sunday, 1972, when 14 civil-rights marchers were killed in Londonderry, it began to sprawl almost immediately. The inquiry's counsel kicked things off with a 176-hour opening state-ment-quite enough for Sir Edward Somers, a 71-year-old judge, who abruptly resigned, citing a shortage of "vigour and energy". Since then, more than 900 witnesses have testified, and around ￡155m ($285m) has been spent.
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