Edinburgh Tram Inquiry: Information 'not passed to councillors'

The former chairman of Edinburgh's Trams project said full information was not passed on to councillors for fear it would damage negotiations with contractors.

David MacKay told the trams inquiry that Tie, the council's arms length company, would edit reports so much it almost amounted to a "rewrite".

The inquiry is examining why the tram system was delivered years late.

It is also looking at why the project was £400m over budget.

Mr MacKay said it would have been "suicidal" to reveal the full detail of the cost risks to councillors because it would have been leaked to the press and the contractor Infraco whom he described as having "an insatiable appetite to get more money".

Mr MacKay said it would have been "absolutely crazy" to put that level of detail into the public domain.

He said he had serious concerns it would compromise Tie's strategy.

The inquiry, before Lord Hardie, continues.