http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hunt-missing-madeleine-mccann-cost-4428360Hunt for missing Madeleine McCann: Cost of British police search tops £10million
Oct 12, 2014 22:13 By Matthew Drake
Scotland Yard's review of the youngster's disappearance will be more than double the £5million it was expected to cost
The cost of the British police search for Madeleine McCann will top £10million as a new drive for the truth gives fresh hope to her parents.
Scotland Yard’s review of the youngster’s disappearance seven years ago will cost more than double the original £5million that was estimated by the Home Office.
But the Home Office last night defended the rising cost and said: “The Government believes it is right that it does all it can to support the search for Madeleine McCann.
“The Home Office will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police to review and control the costs appropriately and to ensure that the investigation has the resources it requires.”
It comes as a top Portuguese prosecutor takes over solving the mystery of Madeleine’s disappearance from her holiday apartment.
Ines Sequeira is said to be ‘‘utterly determined’’ to solve the case.
And Metropolitan Police officers are also planning to return to the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz to ‘‘re-interview’’ three suspects in their push to find the kidnappers. They have sent a sent a fifth letter to Portuguese officers requesting access to the investigation, which has thrown up seven suspects.
Scotland Yard has handed the Home Office a bill for £7,332,389 since 2011 when the force was called in by David Cameron.
Figures show police received a special grant payment of £1.9million in 2011/2012, £2.8million in 2012/2013 and £2.6million in 2013/2014.
The amounts were revealed following a Freedom of Information request. It showed the bill for 2014/2015 is expected to be “broadly in line with previous years”. That will take the total to above £10million.
Thirty murder squad detectives are continuing the hunt in Portugal.
Expensive specialist forensic units have carried out excavations around Praia da Luz from where Madeleine went missing in 2007, aged three.
Scotland Yard refused to comment about payments to Portuguese police for the search.
A Met spokesman said: “We are not prepared to give a running commentary on the search.”
Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry from Rothley, Leics, have been assured the search will go on for the “foreseeable future”.
A spokesman for the family said: “Madeleine’s parents remain extremely grateful for the work carried out by officers from Operation Grange in the continued search for their daughter.”
