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The prime minister has been criticised for launching a "secret" investigation into the Iraq war.
In a Commons statement, Gordon Brown confirmed that the independent inquiry in the UK's role in the Iraq conflict would cover the period from summer 2001 to July 2009.
The "unprecedented" scope of the inquiry will cover an eight year period, including the run-up to the conflict through to reconstruction, he confirmed.
And the processes undertaken by the committee will use the same format as the Franks inquiry, which was held in the wake of the Falklands war.
But Brown came under fire after he announced that the inquiry will take a year, meaning that the investigation's conclusions will not be published until after a general election.
"The committee will start work as soon as possible after the end of July, and given the complexity of the issues it will address, I am advised it will take one year," he told the House.
But the committee of inquiry will be given access to "the full range of information", including secret information, the prime minister told MPs.
"In other words their investigation can range across all papers all documents and all material," he said.
"So the inquiry can ask for any British document to come before it and any British citizen to appear. No British document and no British witness will be beyond the scope of the inquiry."
The prime minister praised the qualifications of committee members, adding that the panel will consist entirely of non-partisan public figures.
The review will be led by ex-civil servant Sir John Chilcot who will also be assisted by ex-civil service commissioner Baroness Prashar, ex-diplomat Sir Roderick Lyne, academic Sir Lawrence Freedman and historian Sir Martin Gilbert.
Brown explained that the investigation had been established to "learn the lessons of what's happened".
"The inquiry is essential so that, by learning lessons, we will strengthen the health of our democracy, our diplomacy and our military," Brown said.
Some 179 Britons died during the conflict in Iraq and 222 were injured or seriously injured.
Brown praised the work of the armed forces involved in operations in Iraq, stating that "a young democracy has replaced a vicious 30 year old dictatorship".
David Cameron responded that parties were united in praise for the "professionalism and bravery" of the armed forces.
But the Conservative leader criticised the "limited" membership of the inquiry, adding that the members were not required to make recommendations on the outcome of the invasion.
The Conservatives have been calling for an inquiry for "many, many months", Cameron told the Commons.
"This inquiry should have started earlier," he said. "In terms of how long the inquiry takes, the Franks inquiry reported in just six months... But surprise, surprise this inquiry will take a year."
Cameron welcomed the diplomatic experience of committee members but said there was a "question mark" over their lack of military experience.
And he called for senior politicians to be included in the inquiry to examine political decisions taken.
The Tory leader also recommended that the Iraq inquiry hold some "proper public sessions", asserting that this is what the public "want and expect".
Nick Clegg also hit out at the prime minister's statement, accusing him of missing the "fundamental point".
The Liberal Democrat leader criticised a "secret inquiry" run by a "handful of grandees" picked by the prime minister.
"I passionately believe that we were wrong to invade in Iraq," he said.
"Nothing short of a fully public inquiry" will satisfy grieving families, Clegg added. "It should be open to all."
He dismissed Brown's assertion that the inquiry would be held in private to protect national security, accusing the prime minister of making the decision in order to protect "his reputation and that of his predecessor".
"I am disappointed that he made such a feeble attempt to secure consensus on the panel of the inquiry," he told MPs. "He has failed. He has chosen secrecy instead."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd