Bailhache brothers up next but abuse inquiry running out of cash

Wednesday 20 January 2016

The abuse inquiry is running out of funds, with just over a million pounds left to go before the final report is due at the end of the year.

Chief Minister Ian Gorst has confirmed that the inquiry has spent all but £1.1 million of the £13.7 million budget allocated to it, and that the inquiry staff are due to meet the Chief Minister’s department to discuss the funding in the next fortnight.

No request for extra funding has been made yet, he said, but judging from the 2015 published costs, £1.1 million would not be enough to keep the inquiry going for two months.

The inquiry is due to stop taking evidence at some point next month so that the inquiry team can start to put together its final report.

The total budget for the inquiry is just over seven times the amount paid out in compensation to abuse survivors under the Historic Abuse Redress Scheme.

The inquiry has also confirmed that the Bailhache brothers, who held the key roles of Bailiff and Attorney General during the police historic child abuse inquiry in 2008, are both due to give evidence next week.

Sir Philip Bailhache, who was Bailiff at the time of the inquiry, is due to give evidence from 10 am on 26 January at the inquiry. He now sits in the States as External Relations Minister.

William Bailhache, who was Attorney General in charge of prosecutions at the time, is due to give evidence over two days on 28 and 29 January. He took over the role of Bailiff 12 months ago.

The inquiry is expected to finish taking evidence from witnesses at some point next month, before they start writing their final report.