Overview

• The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is projected to cost £227 million, making it the most expensive statutory inquiry in British history.
• Cabinet Office chief Pat McFadden has instructed officials to explore options to reduce costs and shorten the inquiry's duration.
• The inquiry has spent £160.4 million to date, with daily expenditures exceeding £158,000, according to official figures.
• Public hearings for the inquiry are set to conclude by March 2026, with the next report scheduled for release in Autumn 2025.
• The seventh round of hearings, focusing on test, trace, and isolate efforts, is set to begin next week.