UK public inquiries face scrutiny over rising costs and lengthy delays
The article argues that UK public inquiries have become too numerous, slow and costly, with substantial public funds going to legal teams and other contractors. It points to the Afghanistan inquiry as an example and questions whether inquiries are giving politicians and the public sufficient value for money.
It says 63 inquiries have been launched over the past two decades and estimates around 30 are currently under way. The Covid inquiry has spent more than £200 million, while the Afghanistan inquiry has used £58 million so far; barristers can reportedly charge up to £250 an hour, and some lawyers in the Hillsborough inquiry were said to have received more than £1 million each.
- The article criticises the cost and pace of UK public inquiries.
- It says 63 inquiries have started in two decades.
- The Covid inquiry has spent over £200 million.
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Public inquiries are independent investigations set up by the government to examine serious events or failures. They can hear evidence from people involved, review documents and publish findings, but they do not decide criminal guilt.
The government appoints an inquiry chair and sets its terms, while legal teams and other contractors may help gather and examine evidence. The number of inquiries, the time they take and the public money spent on them matter because inquiries are meant to establish what happened and help prevent similar problems, while also accounting for how public funds are used.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Public inquiries can expose failures, establish what happened and give victims and families a formal chance to be heard. Their findings may lead to accountability and changes that prevent similar harm, so substantial spending and time can be justified when an investigation is complex or its consequences far-reaching.
The case against
Inquiries can consume large sums and take years, while legal and administrative costs risk diverting public money from other needs. If their recommendations arrive too late, repeat existing findings or bring little accountability or practical change, the public may reasonably question whether the process offers value for money.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “QUENTIN LETTS: The public inquiry gravy train. Once they were rare and businesslike. Now 63 have been launched in the last two decades”.