Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what payments have been made to Ben Emmerson QC for his work on the historic child abuse inquiry to date; and what the terms are of his contract for that work.

Ben Emmerson QC was appointed on 5 September 2014 as Counsel to the Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. On Thursday 12 March 2015, the Inquiry was set up with statutory powers under the 2005 Inquiries Act. Ben Emmerson QC has remained as Counsel to the statutory Inquiry.

From 5 September 2014 to 31 March 2015, payments to Mr Emmerson accounted to £177,480 including VAT.

He is employed on standard terms of appointment. His remuneration is £1,700 per full day and £850 per half day and he is expected to be available to advise the Inquiry for up to 4 days a week.

The Independent Inquiry is now responsible for publishing its costs on a regular basis.