Police officer at former home Haut de la Garenne
One member of staff at the children's home has been convicted
Police did not have an "open chequebook" from the States for the historic child abuse inquiry, Jersey's former chief minister has said.
Frank Walker was speaking to the BBC after comments made by the home affairs minister earlier this week.
Senator Ian Le Marquand said it would have been unwise to give police a blank cheque.
Mr Walker said: "It wasn't a question of an open chequebook with no questions asked. "
Police in Jersey launched a covert investigation into the Haut de la Garenne site in 2006.
It became public in February 2008 when officers said they had found what was believed to be part of a child's skull, but was in fact coconut.
More than £3.5m was spent on the investigation from January to September 2008, the States has revealed. There has been no overall figure for the cost.
One member of staff who worked at Haut de la Garenne has been convicted as part of the investigation so far.
No 'open chequebook' for Jersey child abuse inquiry