The committee’s report recommended that inquiries have defined budgets and timescales, and that any extensions should be justified to parliament.
It cited the example of Sweden, where public inquiries are typically required to conclude within two years and within a set budget.
It warned of pressure on public services when resources are redirected to inquiries, which can last for years.
The committee gave the example of judges being diverted away from court cases to oversee inquiries.
It also identified a “lack of clarity and openness” on the decision-making process leading up to inquiries being established.
The report noted that there appeared to be an increase in demand for public inquiries, but that the public often lacked an understanding of how they worked and what they could do.
It called for the government to develop guidance for ministers, including a requirement for a statutory public inquiries to be considered “only when all alternatives have been exhausted”.
The report follows an eight-month investigation into the cost-effectiveness of public inquiries – the first time a Holyrood committee has examined the subject.
It came after BBC Scotland News reported in November 2024 that nearly £200m had been spent on the four public inquiries that were taking place in Scotland.