Inquiries Act 2005

39 Payment of inquiry expenses by Minister

(1) The Minister may agree to pay to—

(a) the members of the inquiry panel,

(b) any assessor, counsel or solicitor to the inquiry, and

(c) any person engaged to provide assistance to the inquiry,

such remuneration and expenses as the Minister may determine.

(2) The Minister must pay any amounts awarded under section 40.

(3) The Minister must meet any other expenses incurred in holding the inquiry, including the cost of publication of the report and any interim report of the inquiry (whether or not the chairman has responsibility for arranging publication).

(4) Subsection (5) applies where the Minister—

(a) believes that there are matters in respect of which an inquiry panel is acting outside the inquiry’s terms of reference, or is likely to do, and

(b) gives a notice to the chairman specifying those matters and the reasons for his belief.

(5) Subject to provision made by rules under section 41, the Minister is not obliged under this section or otherwise to pay any amounts or to meet any expenses in so far as they are referable—

(a) to any matters certified by the Minister, in accordance with such provision, to be outside the inquiry’s terms of reference, and

(b) to any period falling after the date on which the notice under subsection (4) was given.

(6) Within a reasonable time after the end of the inquiry the Minister must publish the total amount of what he has paid (or remains liable to pay) under this section.