§ 31. Mr. JamiesonTo ask the Attorney-General what was the cost of Sir John May's inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich case; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Derek Spencer)The total reported costs at 7 July 1994 were £2,150,000.
§ Mr. JamiesonIs the Solicitor-General satisfied that more than £2 million of taxpayers' money was used on Sir John May's inquiry, which had no power to subpoena witnesses or to call documents and yet absolved from blame all those involved with miscarriage of justice, except those people cleared by the Court of Appeal? Does not he know a cheaper source of whitewash?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralOpposition Members were quick to adopt Sir John May's findings in the Maguire inquiry when it suited their book. Now that it does not, they sing a different tune.