ABSTRACT
The Commons Select Committee set out to enhance learning from inquiries. The aim here is to equip a wider audience to learn the most from the experience of others, not how useful they are to those directly concerned with the issue. To learn people have to have a common language as a prerequisite to developing the cross-understanding necessary to learn lessons. In terms of technical language, the fact of the Norwegian 22 July Commission report only translated the recommendations into English emphasises these as being the most important aspect of the report and being seen as the greater source of learning. In the report by Dr Iain Anderson, people see an example of where a report's author attempts to extract lessons learnt in addition to providing recommendations. In the case of the Hillsborough tragedy, people can see inquiries into inquiries which, in the end, still do not promote the learning desired.
