The public inquiry into the Covid pandemic has cost the government more than £100m to respond to so far, the BBC has learnt. This is on top of the £192m spent by the inquiry itself - meaning the cost to the taxpayer is over 50% more than previously thought.
The government spending covers legal advice and staffing costs – at last count a team of 248 were working across key departments to produce evidence for the inquiry.
Inquiry sources questioned the approach, saying the government has at times been "hostile and difficult", blocking the release of information and delivering documents late.
But the Cabinet Office said it was committed to the inquiry and learning the lessons for the future.
However, the TaxPayers' Alliance has branded it a waste of money and the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK said while the work being done was vital, public inquiries generally needed to become more efficient and less adversarial.
