Inquiries' Cost Revealed

A DUP Stormont Junior Minister has raised concerns about the cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

After the cost of accommodation alone reached £26 million Jeffrey Donaldson (pictured) branded the money a "waste" of public funds.

"These further revelations demonstrate the extent to which taxpayers' money has been used for what one might describe as ancillary costs that are really of no benefit to any victims in Northern Ireland," the DUP Lagan Valley MP said.

The Westminster Government has revealed breakdowns of the non-legal costs incurred by the Saville Inquiry, the most expensive investigation in UK legal history, which also show the transport costs have hit £5m.

A further £109,000 went on "virtual reality technology", which includes live video links, while £19,000 was spent on advertising.

Secretary of State Shaun Woodward said the accommodation costs include hire of venues for inquiry hearings plus office and private accommodation.

However, the projected cost of all four current inquiries into Northern Ireland's past is even more controversal and is now more than £300m.

Withn that sum, the amount spent on just security for the Saville, Billy Wright and Rosemary Nelson inquiries has totalled £4.93m, records released in Parliament show.

The figures were revealed during Northern Ireland Questions in the House of Commons.

The Secretary of State Shaun Woodward gave a breakdown of the cost of inquiries under questioning from MPs.

But, Mr Woodward rejected suggestions that the government was frittering money away on public inquiries and pointed to the seriousness of the death toll in Northern Ireland.

Mr Woodward told parliament that the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, which has yet to report, would cost about £190m, including Ministry of Defence charges.

He said the combined cost of the Hamill, Wright and Nelson inquiries was estimated at £117m. The total is therefore projected to be £307m with the cost to the end of January sitting at about £267m.

Other costs not included are those run up by the Eames/Bradley report which has made a series of recommendations about dealing with the legacy of the past.

(BMcC/JM)