Backbench Business

Commissions the Committee for its thoughtful report but challenges whether previous recommendations from inquiries have been remembered or acted upon. Suggests an inquiry should identify both heroes and villains, implying some mistakes were wilfully made.

Asks whether the Committee will be considering if the ministerial code has been broken through deliberate misdirection or other actions during the pandemic response.

Expressed concern over the lack of immediate action to address current problems, raised issues with transparency regarding surveillance and testing measures during the pandemic, noted difficulty in obtaining data from the Government, and highlighted the importance of public confidence.

Acknowledged the need for scrutiny but argued against immediate full-scale inquiry, emphasised the importance of prioritising urgent matters, suggested focusing on lessons to be learned for future pandemics, and stressed the role of Parliament in ensuring independence and accountability.

Supported the recommendation for a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005, highlighted the need for careful consideration of scope and powers to avoid unnecessary delays, noted the inefficiency in setting up public inquiries from scratch, and called for prompt establishment to allow preparatory work.

The covid-19 outbreak has been one of the most significant and consequential periods of our lifetimes, leading to a tragic loss of life both in the UK and globally. He emphasised the bravery of NHS staff and key workers, noting that we have passed the peak of deaths and hospitalisations. Baynes supports a statutory inquiry with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to compel evidence production and take oral evidence in public under oath. He believes an inquiry should not start until spring next year as it would avoid distracting those who continue to fight against the virus this winter. The approach must be forward-looking, emphasising learning lessons for future pandemics rather than blaming individuals. Confidentiality is crucial when dealing with personal experiences of those affected by covid-19. Baynes highlights the importance of interaction between the inquiry and devolved Administrations such as Wales, which has refused to hold its own inquiry despite recommendations in the report.

Dromey calls for an urgent public inquiry into the Government's response to COVID-19, citing the tragedy and human suffering caused by the pandemic. He emphasises the importance of learning from past mistakes to prevent future loss of life and economic strain. The hon. Member stresses the need for immediate action in setting up the secretariat and administrative functions for the inquiry, urging for transparency and consultation with bereaved families.

Intervenes to support Dromey's remarks on the need for an immediate public inquiry, emphasising its role in providing closure to aggrieved and bereaved families. Bernard Jenkin suggests that the public inquiry should be segmented with urgent matters addressed first while others can follow later.

Acknowledged the need for a statutory public inquiry into the Government's response to the pandemic, expressing her commitment to starting it as swiftly as possible without compromising the necessary preparations. She also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve resilience and lessons learned from the pandemic response.

Emphasised the importance of engaging with families affected by the pandemic, showing concern for their distress and advocating for a timely public inquiry to bring comfort and justice. He agreed that it is crucial to start the inquiry without delay but also recognised the need to avoid burdening those involved in the ongoing response.

Stressed the importance of strengthening public confidence through an independent process with a non-judicial chair supported by a panel, suggesting that this would provide more credibility to the inquiry's outcomes. He questioned whether an independently assessed call for evidence could enhance trust.