Operation Grange

Operation Grange is an investigative review by London's Metropolitan Police Service into the circumstances of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The operation, conducted by the Homicide & Serious Crime Command, was initially led by Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Redwood, supported by a further twenty-eight detectives and seven other staff. In December 2014, the case was handed over to Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wall. The review is overseen by the Gold Group management structure. The cost of the operation, which has been funded out of a special fund, has amounted to several million pounds. The review was launched in May 2011 following a request to Scotland Yard from Home Secretary Theresa May, with the support of the Prime Minister David Cameron. The issue of whether this request was the result of "threats" or "persuasion" from Rebekah Brooks was one of the issues raised at the Leveson Inquiry.

Funding

In September 2018, the Home Office announced: "We have received and are considering a request from the Metropolitan Police Service to extend funding for Operation Grange until the end of March 2019". Up to September 2018, Operation Grange had cost £11.6m. November 2018, an extra £150,000 is granted to continue the investigation. It is the latest in a series of six-month extensions which take the cost of Operation Grange to an estimated £11.75m. June 2019, the UK government says it will fund the Met Police inquiry, which began in 2011, until March 2020.