Rights groups slam British restrictions on public inquiries

Eleven human rights groups have joined forces to condemn the British government's proposed new legislation to govern public inquiries.

The groups, which include Amnesty International, have signed a statement saying the proposed Inquiries Bill currently before the House of Commons in London would restrict the independence of public inquiries.

They claimed the legislation would fundamentally alter the running of investigations into questions of great public importance and would destroy public confidence in such inquiries.

The main problem, they said, was a proposal to give control to government ministers, thereby compromising the independence of inquiry chairpersons.

The Inquiries Bill was introduced as the British government came under increased pressure to hold a public inquiry into allegations of security force collusion in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

Concerns have already been raised by the Finucane family, who are refusing to co-operate with the planned inquiry into the 1989 murder if it is held under the terms of the new legislation.

The Finucanes have condemned moves to hold some of the inquiry in private for national security reasons, saying it will lead to a suppression of the truth.