How much for a Rover inquiry?

Nick Watson Producer Politics Show West Midlands

What do you think is a good price for an MG Rover inquiry?

The sprawling factory that was Longbridge

You can read some of your comments on the programme here...

Before you ask the MG Rover inquiry is not the name of some new model launched to revive the defunct Birmingham car maker, but the Companies Act investigation into the firm's final collapse in 2005.

So far it is showing signs of devouring taxpayers money in a way that British Leyland at its most wasteful could only dream of.

After two-and a-half years of digging the current cost is put at around £10.6m - and that figure is rising by £80,000 a week.

I am not sure I can say to the committee when it's going to end. It's certainly cost a very great deal of money so far John Hutton, Business & Enterprise Secretary

Phoenix Venture Holdings

Ministers admit they are "not sure" when it will come to an end.

Way back in May 2005 the then Trade & Industry Secretary, Alan Johnson, announced the appointment of inspectors to investigate and report on the affairs of the MG Rover Group, including Phoenix Venture Holdings Ltd and MGR Capital Limited.

The inspectors were asked to look at the events that led up to Rover going into administration with the loss of 6,000 jobs in April 2005.

The failure affected whole families

They were also charged with looking at the issues raised by the Financial Reporting Review Panel in their report to the Secretary of State.

Failed rescue package

At the time, Mr Johnson said the inquiry was vital because it is in the public interest to decide what went wrong at MG Rover.

"I have asked them to report to me as quickly as possible and in a form which will enable the report to be made public," he announced at the time.

But now in December 2007, there is still no sign of the report even though it is costing tax payers around £80,000 for each extra week that ticks by.

In fact the bill at the moment already exceeds the £6.5m pledged to Rover as part of the failed rescue package.

Justice delayed is justice denied. This report is taking too long Peter Luff MP, Chairman BERR Select Committee

Public money

At a recent meeting of the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) Select Committee the Secretary of State, John Hutton, admitted that he did not know when the inquiry would be completed.

"It's still proceeding and I am not sure I can say to the committee when it's going to end. It's certainly cost a very great deal of money so far," he told MPs.

Among them was Julie Kirkbride (Con), whose Bromsgrove constituency contains a large number of former workers from the Longbridge site in Birmingham.

She pushed Mr Hutton asking him: "Do you think that's been a good use of public money?"

"We'll find out," replied Mr Hutton.

Charitable mood

Committee chairman Peter Luff accused the lawyers involved of "running rings around the process."

"Justice delayed is justice denied. This report is taking too long," he added.

The glittering sign of MG Rover quickly lost its sheen

Mr Hutton, perhaps in charitable mood, responded by saying he thought they "wanted to be thorough".

So we asked the BERR department when they thought things would finally come to an end.

Depth and thoroughness

This was their answer: "The Companies Act Inspection is continuing. The Department and the inspectors are intent on completing this inspection as quickly as possible".

Notice the use again of Alan Johnson's phrase "as quickly as possible" which has been dusted off and is still doing good business all these months later.

But as the department points out there may be very good reasons why the investigators need to take their time.

"The inspectors have not been given a specific target date for the completion of their investigation. To do so might restrict the depth and thoroughness of their enquiry", they said in a statement.

No comment

"While the inspectors are 'masters of their own procedures' as far as the investigation is concerned they meet with officials regularly in order to monitor progress and to ensure that the momentum of the investigation is maintained", the statement added.

The BERR committee warned darkly that the story could start to become about the cost of the inquiry to the taxpayer rather than what it might find. The investigators say; "No comment".

Some issues connected to Rover, it seems, never change.

Katie Inman has been trying to find whether or not spending all this money will ultimately prove worthwhile.

Also in the programme ...

Hillsborough - the turning point...

Is it time to allow safe standing areas at football stadia in the Premier League and Championship?

The law was changed in 1994 following the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster meaning that all grounds in the top two football divisions have to be all-seater.

After 96 fans died in Sheffield on that fateful day in 1989, few disagreed that football needed to get its act together and a key part of that modernisation process involved vast improvement to sometimes dangerous and dilapidated stadia.

But now some fans are calling for the rules to be relaxed to allow safe standing at clubs in football's top two tiers.

Those who wish to stand would have an area in which to do so, and those who wish to sit would have dedicated seating areas Roger Godsiff MP

Great concern

The Birmingham Sparkbrook & Small Heath MP, Roger Godsiff, recently secured a Commons debate on the issue where he outlined his views.

He said: "The issue of approved safe standing areas at premiership and championship football grounds might not be of great concern to the wider public, but it is of concern to the many thousands of supporters who frequent football matches in the top two leagues."

Mr Godsiff, who supports Charlton Athletic, added that it was common for fans of clubs like Manchester United for their away fans to stand during away games even though by law they should be sitting down.

Law change

"This has led on occasion to the home club being penalised for not enforcing the rules," he continued.

But Mr Godsiff thinks it is time to introduce a bit of flexibility into the current law.

"Allowing safe standing, he feels, "would mean that those who wish to stand would have an area in which to do so, and those who wish to sit would have dedicated seating areas."

Higher prices

Have the seats changed the character of football..?

He also says it would help to make football more affordable for ordinary supporters who were finding it increasingly difficult to afford tickets at some clubs.

"When the Taylor report was published, the impression was put around that any standing area in top football grounds was unsafe," he said.

"It suited the owners of many top clubs to replace standing areas, where entry prices were cheap with seated areas, where much higher prices could be charged."

So could the law be changed to allow some standing areas? What do the fans think and would the clubs support it? Political Editor and Birmingham City supporter, Patrick Burns has been to find out.

Get in touch with your views by e-mailing on the form at the bottom of this page or call us on 0845 300 1138.

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The Politics Show for the West Midlands, with Jon Sopel and Michael Collie on Sunday 02 December at 12:00 GMT on BBC One.

If you have an issue you would like us to follow up then please write to the producer of the show: Nick Watson, BBC Politics Show, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1RF or email [e-mail]