Lessons from Stockline

Efficient, focused and purposeful is the description agreed by the Work and Pensions Secretary, Peter Hain, and the Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, for the public inquiry announced yesterday into the blast at the ICL/Stockline plastics factory. It will be the first test of provisions for a joint public inquiry set up by UK and Scottish ministers under the Inquiries Act 2005 designed to deliver "high-quality conclusions and recommendations quickly and at reasonable cost". It needs to fulfil all expectations.