Covid inquiry on track to be costliest as bill reaches £161m

The public inquiry into the UK's handling of the Covid pandemic is on track to become the most expensive in British history, with the total cost now standing at £161 million.

The inquiry, which was set up in 2021 to examine the government's response to the pandemic, has already heard evidence from a wide range of witnesses, including former health secretary Matt Hancock and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The inquiry is due to report its findings in 2023, but it is already clear that it will be the most expensive public inquiry in British history. The previous most expensive inquiry was the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War, which cost £10 million.

The high cost of the Covid inquiry is due to a number of factors, including the large number of witnesses who have been called to give evidence, the length of the inquiry, and the cost of legal representation for the witnesses.

Some critics have argued that the inquiry is too expensive and that the money could be better spent elsewhere. However, the government has defended the cost of the inquiry, arguing that it is important to learn lessons from the pandemic in order to prevent similar mistakes from being made in the future.

Here are some key facts about the Covid inquiry:

• The inquiry was set up in 2021 to examine the government's response to the pandemic.
• The inquiry has already heard evidence from a wide range of witnesses, including former health secretary Matt Hancock and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
• The inquiry is due to report its findings in 2023.
• The inquiry is the most expensive public inquiry in British history.

Here are some of the key questions that the inquiry is investigating:

• Did the government make the right decisions at the right time?
• Could the government have done more to prevent the spread of the virus?
• What lessons can be learned from the pandemic?

The Covid inquiry is a complex and challenging task. However, it is important to learn lessons from the pandemic in order to prevent similar mistakes from being made in the future.