Dame Lowell Goddard received £80,000 after quitting child sex abuse inquiry

Dame Lowell Goddard received around £80,000 in pay and allowances following her resignation as chair of the national inquiry into child sexual abuse.

The New Zealand high court judge's end of contract agreement was two months' salary, plus allowances, it is understood. The cost of flights home, as set out in Dame Lowell's terms, was also covered.

Her departure in August rocked the inquiry, which has been beset by problems since it was first launched in 2014.

Dame Lowell, who became the third chairwoman to resign, later called for the probe to be overhauled, saying "there is an inherent problem in the sheer scale and size".

Reports emerged shortly before her resignation was announced that Dame Lowell had spent more than 70 days working abroad or on holiday during her time in charge.

At the time, the inquiry said she had spent 44 days in New Zealand and Australia on inquiry business and was entitled to 30 days of annual leave.

A financial report for 2015/16 published by the inquiry last month outlined details of costs amounting to more than half a million pounds in relation to Dame Lowell's terms. This included £355,000 in annual salary and £119,000 on rental and utilities allowance.

Alexis Jay, who replaced Dame Lowell as chair, will earn £185,000 a year.

The probe - described as the most ambitious public inquiry ever in England and Wales - was earmarked to take five years, but there have been suggestions it could run for as long as a decade.

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted the inquiry is not "too broad" in its scope.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The Independent Inquiry has a vital role to play in exposing the failure of public bodies and other major organisations to prevent child sexual abuse.

"We owe it to victims and survivors to get to the truth and the Independent Inquiry is continuing its vital work."

Advertisement