Simon Hughes makes government see sense on cost of de Menezes Inquest

2.00.00pm GMT Thu 5th Mar 2009

Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, today agreed that the government would pay towards the £4million cost of the de Menezes Inquest.

The multi-million pound cost of the inquiry was planned to fall upon the four local London authorities of Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Greenwich in line with usual arrangements for paying for inquests.

Answering Simon Hughes' latest parliamentary question however, Jack Straw recognised that "this inquest is exceptional" and therefore "financial support will… be provided" to the local authorities concerned.

Commenting on the news, Simon Hughes said: "At last Jack Straw sees the justice of the government helping to pay for the de Menezes inquest.

It was simply unacceptable that an inquest of national and international importance and costing millions of pounds should have to be paid for by the council taxpayers in the London boroughs near where de Menezes was killed.

I hope that the final decision on cost sharing makes sure that national government pay their fair share of the bill."