Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the Nottingham Inquiry.

The Terms of Reference of the Nottingham Inquiry were published on 22 May and like all public inquiries it must avoid unnecessary costs to public funds.

The Inquiry is responsible for presenting a preliminary budget within a reasonable timeframe to the sponsor department for approval. As the sponsor department, the Ministry of Justice will ensure that public funds are properly planned and accounted for. The Lord Chancellor will publish the full costs of the Inquiry in the usual way.