Northern Ireland’s chief scientific adviser said he did not give any scientific advice to government until the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Professor Ian Young’s evidence was discussed at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Thursday as former health minister Robin Swann was called to appear.
Professor Young was appointed to the post in 2015.
Focusing on how prepared Northern Ireland was for a pandemic, Ronan Lavery KC, acting for Bereaved Families for Justice NI, said Professor Young said in his evidence to the inquiry that he “did not provide any scientific advice to any government official in the five years prior to the pandemic”.
“The reason he gave for that was that nobody had asked him,” he said.
Mr Lavery put that to Mr Swann as he gave evidence to the inquiry,
Mr Swann, who became health minister in 2020, said he “can’t speak to what was before my time”.
“I think our chief scientific adviser should be involved in those conversations automatically, as right, and Northern Ireland should be an equal partner,” he said.
He added: “I do know that Professor Young was a key member of the team that provided me advice during my time as minister. He also attended a number of Executive meetings and gave advice and guidance to the Executive directly.”
Mr Lavery said Northern Ireland had no right to representation on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) until March 29, 2020 and Professor Young was denied membership of the CSA UK network.
He said Northern Ireland representatives only had observer status at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, putting to Mr Swann that the region was at a disadvantage in terms or preparedness.
Mr Swann agreed: “I think it’s important that the devolved administrations have the ability to participate at a level playing field in regards to the rest of the devolved administrations and indeed our government in Whitehall.”
