The government is already at loggerheads with Heather Hallett, chair of the Covid-19 inquiry, over the scope of her remit. The inquiry will start public hearings shortly, with government decisions, political reputations and use of public funds “under the microscope”.
When does it start?
The first module of the UK Covid-19 inquiry looking into preparedness for the pandemic was formally opened on 21 July last year. The full hearings for the first stage of the investigation start on Tuesday 13 June in London and will take place over six weeks, with David Cameron, George Osborne and Jeremy Hunt among the witnesses expected to give evidence. The inquiry has its own YouTube channel and the hearings will be livestreamed.
What will it examine?
Its terms of reference cover almost every significant aspect of the pandemic in the UK, including the use of lockdowns, protecting vulnerable people, the test-and-trace programme, the safeguarding of public funds and the use communications, including WhatsApp messaging for policy formulation.
Announcing the inquiry in May 2021, Boris Johnson said it would put the state’s actions “under the microscope” and “we should be mindful of the scale of that undertaking and the resources required to do it properly”. The inquiry is chaired by Lady Hallett, a former appeal court judge, who was also the coroner in the inquest into the 7 July 2005 terror attacks in London.
What documents has the government been requested to hand over?
The inquiry will examine hundreds of thousands of documents. It has requested witness statements from the key figures involved in managing the UK response to the pandemic, including Johnson, Rishi Sunak, former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill and Dominic Cummings. Witnesses have been asked to disclose key emails, informal or private communications about the government’s pandemic response and any diary or notes made about their involvement.
Can the government redact documents before handing them over?
The inquiry says not. It says it is important the inquiry receives documents in “clean unredacted” form and any exceptions must be discussed with the inquiry team. The Cabinet Office has been redacting documents, including Johnson’s diary, before handing them over to the inquiry, removing material it considers irrelevant to the inquiry. Hallett has said in a ruling that the Cabinet Office has “misunderstood the breadth of the investigation I am undertaking”. She has said that to evaluate the government’s response to the pandemic she will also need to understand the other political matters with which it was concerned at the time. The issue may need to be resolved in the courts.
What powers does Hallett have?
Hallett’s inquiry is set up under the Inquiries Act 2005, with considerable powers. It can compel an individual to attend the inquiry as a witness and make legally enforceable demands for documents to be produced. A person who conceals a relevant document or prevents it from being given to the inquiry can be fined or imprisoned, with a maximum term of 51 weeks.
How long will the inquiry last and how much will it cost?
Legal experts say the inquiry will probably last until 2027 and may stretch beyond that date. The direct costs of the inquiry were already at almost £15m by the start of this year and the final bill is likely to run into tens of millions of pounds. The indirect costs involved in public bodies awarding contracts connected to the inquiry reached £113m in March, according to analysis by Tussell, a company that monitors government outsourcing.
