Why the costs soared so high

The heavy workload involved in investigating the treatment of patients from 1974 to the early 1990s is one of the reasons for the relatively high costs of the Penrose Inquiry.

To date over 118,000 documents have been analysed during the inquiry, which has been based at the Clydesdale Bank Plaza in Edinburgh’s Lothian Road. A total of 150 written statements have been taken and 67 people gave oral evidence over 89 days.

Lord Penrose produced his 600 page preliminary report in September 2010 and is now working on the final report.

The first phase of the investigation involved gathering and assessing the available documentary evidence.

The aim was to establish as much as possible of the factual history, to identify the developing state of medical and scientific knowledge and to identify controversial facts and issues requiring further investigation. During this phase orders were made against the main holders of documents for the production of them and statements were taken from witnesses to expand on documents or to explain particular issues.

Work carried out in preparation of the preliminary report helped to identify a list of topics suitable for further examination during the public hearings. Phase 1 is now complete and culminated in the publication of the preliminary report on 8 September 2010.

The second phase involved holding public hearings into the list of topics that have been identified as requiring further investigation. Now the hearings are complete, Lord Penrose is writing his final report. Sources yesterday indicated that the final report should be ready by spring next year.