Probe on cost of inquiries into blunders

TAXPAYERS have been billed £230million for public inquiries amid concerns being raised about the number of “serious mistakes” being made by public bodies.

- By David Walker Scottish Politics Reporter

The bill runs from 2007 to the present day, and includes £1m spent on an inquiry which has not even started.

The massive sums were revealed by the Scottish Parliament which has launched a probe into whether they provide value for money. So far, the nine public inquiries held under Holyrood’s devolved powers have taken up 20,375 days.

The green light has been given for two more lengthy hearings - to examine the bungled police probe into the murder of Emma Caldwell and into brain surgeon Sam Eljamel, who botched surgeries.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is the most expensive to date, costing £95.3m since it began in 2014.

The Scottish Covid Inquiry is second, with £34m spent to date.