How long will it take?

1 year ago 34

Visitors to The National Covid Memorial Wall connected the 3rd day of the UK's archetypal nationalist lockdown

The nationalist enquiry into the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic holds its archetypal nationalist proceeding connected Tuesday.

The authorities is challenging its petition to spot messages sent betwixt erstwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson and colleagues.

What is simply a nationalist inquiry?

Public inquiries respond to "public concern" astir events. Although established and funded by governments, they are led by an autarkic chair.

An enquiry has the powerfulness to marque radical look arsenic witnesses and tin besides request grounds beryllium handed over. Inquiries are expected to people conclusions and whitethorn marque recommendations.

The Covid inquiry, launched by Boris Johnson successful May 2021, is investigating the government's handling of the pandemic. It volition screen decision-making successful Westminster and the devolved administrations.

Who is starring the Covid inquiry?

It is being chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, a retired justice and crossbench peer.

She antecedently led the inquests into the 7 July bombings.

Image source, PA Media

Image caption,

Baroness Hallett promised the enquiry would beryllium "thorough and fair"

How agelong volition the enquiry take?

The enquiry has nary ceremonial deadline but is owed to clasp nationalist hearings until 2026.

When it was announced, Boris Johnson said each aspects of the UK's effect would beryllium "under the microscope".

How volition the enquiry work?

resilience and preparedness
core UK decision-making and governmental governance
the interaction of Covid connected healthcare systems

The adjacent - with hearings successful 2024 and 2025 - are:

the UK attraction sector
vaccines, therapeutics and anti-viral treatment
government procurement

Public hearings volition beryllium held successful each 4 UK nations.

Scotland is besides holding a abstracted inquiry.

What issues volition the enquiry look at?

Baroness Hallett's squad is expected to absorption connected the biggest and astir arguable aspects of the government's response, including:

the determination to hold lockdown astatine the precise commencement of the pandemic, which immoderate experts accidental outgo thousands of lives
the determination to wantonness investigating successful the assemblage successful March 2020
the attack to attraction homes - wherever 40% of Covid deaths occurred successful the archetypal 3 months - including the deficiency of testing, PPE shortages and the discharging of patients from infirmary erstwhile Covid archetypal hit

The enquiry is besides expected to see whether excessively galore restrictions were imposed arsenic the pandemic progressed.

Over the people of 80 days successful autumn 2020, for example, England went from the alleged "rule of six" to a tiered strategy of regulations, past into a nationalist lockdown and past backmost to tiers.

The government's argumentation towards schools is besides apt to beryllium connected the agenda. Schools closed to astir pupils successful March 2020 and past again successful January 2021.

Who volition springiness evidence?

Although a afloat database of witnesses has not been published, elder authorities ministers and officials are expected to springiness grounds nether oath.

Sir Chris Whitty, the UK government's main aesculapian advisor during the pandemic, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the main technological adviser, are apt to appear.

Members of the nationalist person besides been invited to stock their experiences done the inquiry's Every Story Matters project.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice run radical - which has been captious of the government's handling of the pandemic - has urged the enquiry to guarantee these voices are heard.

Why does the enquiry privation ministers' WhatsApp messages?

The enquiry has asked to spot unredacted WhatsApp messages betwixt Boris Johnson and 40 people.

They see erstwhile No 10 advisor Dominic Cummings, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and erstwhile Chancellor and existent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Image source, PA Media

Image caption,

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said helium was blessed for the enquiry to person entree to his messages

The Cabinet Office launched a ineligible situation against the request, arguing immoderate of the messages were irrelevant. This is thought to beryllium the archetypal clip a authorities has taken ineligible enactment against its ain nationalist inquiry.

Baroness Hallett said it was her occupation to determine if worldly was relevant.

However Mr Johnson said he was "perfectly content" for the enquiry to person WhatsApp messages sent aft May 2021. Earlier messages are not disposable due to the fact that his mobile telephone was progressive successful a information breach and has not been utilized since.

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock besides said helium was blessed to stock his messages, though galore of these have already been leaked by the writer Isobel Oakeshott, who helped Mr Hancock constitute his book, Pandemic Diaries.