The UK and the devolved nations: Will there be an inquiry or inquiries into the response to Covid-19?

The UK and the devolved nations: Will there be an inquiry or inquiries into the response to Covid-19?

May 04, 2021

IrelandUnited Kingdom
IrelandUnited Kingdom
IrelandUnited Kingdom

Introduction

The administrations of all four nations in the UK are under pressure to establish inquiries into how the current pandemic has been handled. Public inquiries have a two-fold purpose; first, to find out what happened - what went well, and what didn’t, and secondly, to identify what lessons should be learned for the future. But how are these issues going to be examined by any public inquiry?

The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have each committed to undertaking an inquiry. Boris Johnson has also confirmed that the UK Government will establish an “independent review”. Neither the UK Government nor the devolved administrations have provided details as to the scope, nature or timing of any future inquiries, nor whether there will be any formal link or liaison between the inquiries, if established independently. So how could it all work?

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Matthew Howse

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