The British attorney general will invite independent counsel to conduct the inquiry into whether Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain or his most senior advisers misled the High Court in Belfast.
Lord Goldsmith confirmed his intention in the House of Lords yesterday in response to Monday's referral to him by Mr Justice Girvan of 67 questions arising from a serious judicial and political dispute over the appointment of the North's interim victims' commissioner Mrs Bertha McDougall.
Lord Goldsmith told Lord (David) Trimble he had not yet identified the appropriate person to conduct the inquiry, while saying it was his intention in principle that the report by independent counsel should be published.
Mr Hain has denied deliberately misleading the court, which found that the appointment of Mrs McDougall breached the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and was motivated by "an improper political purpose."
However, Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman David Lidington described Mr Justice Girvan's criticisms as "a devastating indictment" of Mr Hain and his officials.
Lord Goldsmith said it was right that the judge had raised concerns and put them to him, not as a minister, but as attorney acting independently of government in the interests of justice.