As the public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the British government has racked up a staggering £100 million bill in responding to the investigation, the BBC has learned. This figure is on top of the £192 million already spent by the inquiry itself, meaning the total cost to taxpayers is over 50% more than previously anticipated.
The government’s spending covers legal advice and staffing costs, with a team of 248 individuals across key departments working to produce evidence for the inquiry. However, inquiry sources have questioned the government’s approach, describing it as “hostile and difficult” at times, with delays in releasing information and delivering documents.
The Cabinet Office has maintained that it is committed to the inquiry and learning valuable lessons for the future. Nevertheless, the TaxPayers’ Alliance has branded the expenditure as a waste of money, while the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group has acknowledged the importance of the work, but called for public inquiries to become more efficient and less adversarial.
The scale and cost of the Covid Inquiry have already been scrutinised, with the investigation getting underway in 2022 and its final report not expected until 2027. It is now poised to become one of the most expensive public inquiries in British history, with the total cost projected to exceed £200 million.
The inquiry’s chair, Baroness Hallett, and the legal team have previously criticised government departments for delays in providing documents and blocking the release of key information, most notably in a 2023 High Court case over the government’s refusal to release Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, diaries, and notebooks.
As the inquiry continues, the debate surrounding its efficiency and the government’s approach remains a contentious issue. While the work is deemed vital by the bereaved families, the pursuit of lessons learned for future pandemics must be balanced with the need for a more streamlined and less adversarial process to reduce the substantial financial burden on taxpayers.