Government spent £145m on private contracts for Covid inquiry
The government has spent £145m on private contracts via the Covid-19 inquiry so far, new data has revealed.
Contracts worth £13.9m and £25m have been awarded to law firm Burges Salmon and data processing company Epiq Systems, according to research by LBC and Tussell.
It makes the probe the second most expensive statutory inquiry since 2005 – when the Inquiries Act was introduced, vastly more than the £7.2m on the Manchester Arena report.
The broadcaster and procurement platform looked at official published government data and found the investigation has already cost over £56m so far, up to September 30 this year.
While further private contracts awarded racket the sum up to £145m – with solicitor and legal costs estimated to reach over £50m by the end of 2026, and could still rise further.
Contracts have been awarded to firms including Mills & Reeve and Sharpe Pritchard.
Tulip Siddiq, Labour’s shadow City minister, said: “I think the Covid Inquiry is exposing the scale of chaos, it is a lot of money and of course it is expensive – but it is even more insulting that the Prime Minister is failing to disclose all of his messages.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “The inquiry is important… but I worry that the government yet again is doing this incompetently.
“The Conservatives’ failure on Covid, whether it’s how they managed the pandemic or the aftermath, is absolutely terrible. Now they look like they’re making mistakes with the inquiry.”
A spokesperson for the Covid Inquiry said: “Inquiry chairman, Baroness Hallett, set out in her opening statement the substantial task to consider and report on the preparations and response to the pandemic in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“She made clear that, to do this properly, will take time and have a significant cost.
“The inquiry regularly publishes its financial information and we have rigorous governance processes to make sure we deliver value for money when fulfilling the terms of reference.”
A spokesman for No10 said: “We want it to focus on its core objectives and make sure it learns lessons to deal with any future pandemics.
“It is right that an independent chair is within the terms of reference to act independently and take decisions as she sees fit.”