Outrage as collapse of Pfos case costs £8m.
AT LEAST £8m. of taxpayers' money has been lost in an unsuccessful bid to sue the manufacturer of the firefighting foam chemical, Pfos.
Public Services yesterday announced that its own legal costs had totalled around £6.6m. while it had also agreed to pay £1.4m. towards the legal costs of manufacturer 3M.
Just two weeks into what was supposed to be a five-week London High Court trial, the States dropped its claim – for up to £27m. – after the court heard evidence that proved any court action was 'time-barred' and the States had been too late.
States chief executive Paul Whitfield has asked for an 'urgent and full account' of the decision-making and for the head of risk assurance to draft terms of reference for a review into the governance and decision-making processes.
Public Accounts Committee chairman Deputy Heidi Soulsby said it would be looking into the matter.
Environmentalist Deputy David De Lisle called on PSD minister Scott Ogier and his board to 'consider their positions'.
Deputy Ogier said the current board and previous ones had received clear and consistent legal advice that there was a good prospect of recovering at least some of the costs.
'...having acted in good faith, we have nothing to resign over, despite what is a very disappointing outcome of the action,' he said.
