Skip to main content

Bloody Sunday Tribunal of Inquiry

Volume 508: debated on Wednesday 7 April 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Saville Inquiry has spent on virtual reality technology since its inception. (325506)

I am advised by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that it has spent approximately £106,000 on virtual reality technology.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Saville Inquiry has spent on IT since its inception. (325507)

I am advised by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that it has spent approximately £34.3 million on information technology to the end of February 2010, including £2.2 million on information technology consultancy costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Saville Inquiry has spent on accommodation since its inception. (325510)

I am advised by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that it has spent approximately £26.2 million on accommodation (including hire of venues for inquiry hearings plus office and private accommodation).

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in each role the Saville Inquiry has employed in each month since its inception. (325511)

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry does not directly employ staff. The inquiry has engaged a number of people on loan or secondment from Government Departments/agencies to undertake specific posts and roles. A number of other people have been issued with NIO fixed-term contracts to work with the inquiry.

Over its lifespan, the number of staff in the inquiry peaked at 38 during hearings in April 2003. Posts included the secretary and deputy secretary to the inquiry, five inquiry solicitors one costs solicitor, one assistant solicitor, one press officer, one assistant press officer, three legal assistants, two researchers, six witness liaison, one finance assistant, one archivist, two personal assistants and 12 administrative support staff.

The inquiry has since reduced its complement to six staff, including the Secretary to the inquiry (part-time), deputy secretary, finance assistant, personal assistant to the chairman, IT assistant (part-time) and an administrative officer.

The inquiry also holds contracts with employment agencies for the provision of temporary staff for administration services. These have not been included in this response, as their employer is the temporary staff agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set a date beyond which no further invoices or accounts for legal work in connection with the Saville Inquiry will be accepted. (325749)

I have proposed to fund legal representation at public expense for Interested Parties provided with advance sight of the report on the day of publication. A protocol governing the scope of this work is being developed, including a time limit for the receipt of invoices.