Nicola Sturgeon outlines details of Scottish Covid inquiry to begin later this year

The Scottish government has confirmed there will be a public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic in Scotland by the end of the year.

The announcement follows months of pressure from opposition parties and relatives of some of those who lost their lives to Covid-19.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon told said the government had now “started the process of getting such an inquiry up and running”.

At a coronavirus briefing, she said: “I can confirm it will be established by the end of this year, as promised, and it will take a person centred, human rights based approach.”

She said draft aims and principles or the inquiry had now been published, with these being consulted on with “interested parties”, including bereaved families.

The first minister explained these aims and principles were “intended to become the basis for the formal terms of reference of the inquiry”.

Meanwhile, she also confirmed Scotland’s top prosecutor, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC, had begun discussions about appointing a judge to lead the inquiry.

“It is fully our intention that this will be a judge-led inquiry,” she added.

The families are grateful that the Scottish Govt. has listened to their demands & an independent Scottish Public Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths & subsequent handling of the COVID pandemic will now take place- it is now for @BorisJohnson to also act pic.twitter.com/NauKv1YTTw

— Aamer Anwar🎗✊🏽#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) August 24, 2021

Sturgeon said the inquiry would look at all matters related to the handling of the pandemic within areas devolved to Scotland.

This includes the situation in the country’s care homes.

But she stressed the Scottish Government would “liaise closely” with the UK Government and other devolved administrations on the likely terms of a UK wide inquiry.

“It will be important to avoid duplication and overlap,” Sturgeon said.

“However the need for co-operation with other governments is not in my view a reason to delay the establishment of our own inquiry.

“I do believe a full public inquiry has an extremely important role to play, both in scrutinising the decisions that we took and indeed continue to take in the course of the pandemic, but also of course in identifying and learning appropriate lessons for the future.

“I therefore believe it is important to establish that inquiry as soon as possible now, and the process we have begun today is an important step towards that.”

Inquiry welcomed

The news of the inquiry was welcomed by the families of some of those who had lost their lives.

Solicitor Aamer Anwar, acting on behalf of the Scottish branch of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, said in a statement: “The families are grateful that the Scottish Government has listened to their demands and an independent Scottish Public Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the subsequent handling of the COVID pandemic will now take place.

“Today is the first important step in establishing accountability for 10,421 lives lost to Covid-19 in Scotland. [John] Swinney said that his core priority is to get the Public Inquiry up and running by the end of this calendar year.

Full press release 4bereaved families -Press conference to begin shortly “by setting up a public inquiry the Scottish Government would be working to support all those affected in their pursuit of truth, justice & accountability. They deserve nothing less.” #COVID19Scot pic.twitter.com/oabB2gtDwT

— Aamer Anwar🎗✊🏽#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) August 24, 2021

“Boris Johnson should take note that his Government can no longer be allowed to hold the process back from asking difficult questions. There were 154,811 Covid-19 deaths in the UK, every single death represents failure and Public Inquiries cannot be delayed any longer by a UK Government, whether it be in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

“As for Scotland any public inquiry must be truly independent and leave no stone unturned, that is the most fitting tribute that our country can pay to the victims of Covid-19.”

Scottish Conservatives MSP Annie Wells tweeted: “A welcome step the right direction. The inquiry must deliver all the answers to the critical questions being asked by thousands of grieving families in Scotland who have lost loved ones to Covid.”