Finance Committee Calls for Defined Budgets and Timeframes for Statutory Public Inquiries
The Finance Committee has called for defined budgets and timeframes to be established for statutory public inquiries, with any extensions requiring justification to Parliament. The cost of these inquiries has increased significantly, with an additional £30 million spent this year alone, bringing the total cost since 2007 to approximately £258.8 million in 2024-25 prices.
A breakdown reveals that five inquiries started between 2007 and 2014 cost £42.6 million, while six inquiries initiated since 2014 have already cost £204.8 million. These inquiries often last several years and divert judges from their court duties, placing additional strain on public services.
There is also concern about a lack of clarity and openness in the decision-making process to establish inquiries, which limits public understanding of how they operate. The committee recommends that guidance be provided to ministers and that statutory inquiries be considered only after all other alternatives have been exhausted.
Sweden is mentioned as a benchmark, where public inquiries typically conclude within two years and stay within a set budget. As of December 2025, four inquiries are ongoing, and a new inquiry into the murder of Emma Caldwell began earlier this month.
This report is the result of an eight-month investigation by Holyrood into the cost-effectiveness of public inquiries, marking the first review of its kind by the committee. The Scottish government welcomed the report and stated it would respond in due course, noting that inquiries operate independently of government and are established only when other options have been insufficient.
