FAILURE to manage the historical child abuse inquiry stretched right across the sector of government, former police chief Graham Power told a Scrutiny panel on Friday.

He said that although there was much that the police might have done differently, it was not credible that they had failed to manage the inquiry properly and everyone else had performed well.

Mr Power was speaking via a telephone link to the Home Affairs Scrutiny sub-panel chaired by Deputy Trevor Pitman, who was sitting with Deputy Daniel Wimberley.

The sub-panel are reviewing whether the BDO Alto report into the financial management of the inquiry was fair, accurate and independent.