Module 2 – Core UK decision-making; political governance
Module 2 of the UK Covid-19 public inquiry formally opened on 31st August 2022. Module 2 is split into separate parts to examine the UK’s overall response to the Covid-19 pandemic. To begin, it will consider and make recommendations upon, the UK’s core political and administrative decision-making in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic between the period January 2020 and February 2022. It will pay particular scrutiny to the decisions taken by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, as advised by the Civil Service, senior political, scientific, and medical advisers, and relevant Cabinet sub-committees, between January and March 2020, when the first national lockdown was imposed.
Hearings
Preliminary Hearings
October 31st 22’ – Ronan Lavery, Counsel for Northern Ireland Bereaved Families for Justice, addressed cross-over between modules 2 and 2C. Mr Lavery questioned whether there was going to be a look at the relationship and communications between London and Dublin during the pandemic.
March 1st 23’ –The second preliminary hearing for module 1 covered rule 9 requests, disclosure of core participants, the witnesses and hearing timetable, evidence proposal and rule 10 and instruction of expert witnesses. Brenda Campbell, Counsel for Northern Ireland Bereaved Families for Justice, addressed the issue of whether the UK Government properly addressed Northern Ireland’s unique issues regarding decision-making. In closing, she urged the voices of the Northern Ireland Bereaved Families to be heard.
June 6th 23’ – During the third and last preliminary hearing for module 1, Counsel to the inquiry provided updates on panellists, rule 9 requests, expert witnesses, a provisional list of witnesses and commemoration and impact films. Brenda Campbell, Counsel for Northern Ireland Bereaved Families for Justice, demanded sooner release of disclosure and witness statements as it was hindering the Northern Ireland inquiry team.
Key Dates:
5th October - Catriona Myles (Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice)
9th October – Professor Alisa Henderson (Expert on devolution)
17th October – Professor Neil Ferguson (Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology)
31st October – Dominic Cummings (Former Adviser to the Prime Minister)
2nd November – Sir Christopher Wormald
20th November – Sir Patrick Vallance (Former Government Chief Scientific Adviser)
21st November – Professor Sir Christopher Whitty (Chief Medical Officer for England)
28th November – Michael Gove MP (Former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)
30th and 31st November – Matt Hancock MP (Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care)
6th and 7th December – Boris Johnson (Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
11th December – Rishi Sunak MP (Former Chancellor of the Exchequer)
Catriona Myles’s Hearing
Catriona spoke powerfully to the counsel of the inquiry during her hearing. She bravely told the story of her father’s tragic death during the pandemic. Catriona outlined that Northern Ireland’s healthcare system was in the worst state of all the UK healthcare systems. Catriona addressed the lack of respect for the grieving process in Northern Ireland, with the lack of a wake and a very much detached funeral. Catriona closed by extending the emotions and views she expressed in the hearing to all those affected in Northern Ireland.
You can find recordings of the Module 2 Hearings on the UK Covid Inquiry website: Core UK Decision-making and Political Governance (Module 2) – Public Hearings - UK Covid-19 Inquiry (covid19.public-inquiry.uk)
News Stories
COVID Inquiry: WhatsApp messages reveal government 'infighting' at start of pandemic - https://news.sky.com/story/covid-inquiry-whatsapp-messages-reveal-government-infighting-at-start-of-pandemic-12975851
Covid Inquiry: 'My daddy had no one with him when he died' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67018940
Britain's COVID-19 response inquiry enters a second phase with political decisions in the spotlight - https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/britains-covid-19-response-inquiry-enters-phase-political-103682808
Covid Inquiry: Shocking revelations and explosive evidence – the moments you may have missed this week - COVID inquiry: Shocking revelations and explosive evidence - the moments you may have missed this week | Politics News | Sky News
Covid Inquiry: Five takeaways from Boris Johnson’s evidence - Covid inquiry: Five takeaways from Boris Johnson's evidence - BBC News
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Conal McGarrityDirector