ETI-4
Response
Accepted in Part
Inquiry Cost Transparency
Recommendation
In reporting the cost of a public inquiry Scottish Ministers should report its net cost to the public purse, after discounting expenditure already incurred on accommodation, staff and other resources, as well as the total cost appearing in the accounts of the sponsor department.
Published Evidence Summary
The following publicly available evidence relates to this recommendation:
- In November 2023, the Scottish Government stated that guidance similar to that suggested was already in development (Transport Secretary Statement on Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report, Scottish Government, 2 November 2023).
- In November 2025, the Scottish Government published "Public inquiries: guidance for Ministers and officials", which addresses cost considerations for inquiries (Public inquiries: guidance for Ministers and officials, Scottish Government, 24 November 2025).
- No published guidance specifically requiring disclosure of net costs to the public purse (excluding pre-existing staffing and accommodation costs) alongside total departmental account costs has been identified to March 2026.
- In November 2025, the Scottish Government published "Public inquiries: guidance for Ministers and officials", which addresses cost considerations for inquiries (Public inquiries: guidance for Ministers and officials, Scottish Government, 24 November 2025).
- No published guidance specifically requiring disclosure of net costs to the public purse (excluding pre-existing staffing and accommodation costs) alongside total departmental account costs has been identified to March 2026.
How was this evidence gathered?
Evidence searched by Claude (Anthropic) on 10 Apr 2026
Checked data held on this site (government responses, progress updates, independent evidence)
Jurisdiction
Scotland
Section Reference
Chapter 2 Recommendation 4 (paragraph 2.102)
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in Part
Accepted in Part
Scottish Government
02 Nov 2023
The Scottish Government stated that guidance similar to that suggested is already in development. Source: Transport Secretary Statement, 2 November 2023.
Progress Timeline
Official Report
02 Nov 2023
Initial status based on Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council responses to the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report (September 2023).
Responsible Bodies
Scottish Government
Primary
Themes & Tags
Recommendation age
3.1 yrs
Last formal update
1045 days ago