Scottish Covid-19 inquiry to start in July, families told

The Scottish Covid-19 inquiry will formally start in July this year, families who lost loved ones to the disease have been told.

The Scottish Covid Bereaved group welcomed a “candid” meeting on Monday with one of the senior counsel to the inquiry.

The group said they found Stuart Gale KC “kind, compassionate and full of genuine empathy” and hailed the day as another “important milestone”.

The families were told the Scottish inquiry will formally start in July this year with expert evidence and full hearings to follow in October 2023, the group’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Brailsford, was set up to investigate the devolved strategic response to the pandemic in Scotland between January 1 2020 and December 31 2022.

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Covid-19 inquiries for the UK and Scotland will work alongside each other to avoid any duplication of evidence-gathering and reporting results.

A statement issued on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved group by Mr Anwar said: “Lord Brailsford was appointed after the resignation of the previous chair following a difficult period, where the Scottish Covid inquiry appeared to falter, then stall.

“From the very first meeting, Lord Brailsford won the confidence of the Scottish Covid Bereaved through his compassion and empathy. The inquiry has moved at a pace since Lord Brailsford’s appointment.

“Today was another important milestone for Scotland’s inquiry on the eve of the UK inquiry beginning next month at which we appear on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved.

“The families who are key stake holders welcomed the candid meeting today with Stuart Gale KC, senior counsel to the Scottish Covid-19 Public Inquiry. Mr Gale showed himself to be kind, compassionate and full of genuine empathy as Lord Brailsford was.

“The role of senior counsel is to direct the investigation according to the terms of reference and present the evidence.

“Mr Gale promised that he will not be reticent in asking difficult questions, he will be independent, doing his job without fear or favour, adopting a human rights philosophy, whilst placing the families front and centre of the inquiry.”

Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen KC is also a senior counsel to the inquiry.

In March, it was announced that the Scottish inquiry will adopt a thematic approach to its investigations and hearings, covering three themes: health and social care; education and young people; and finance, business and welfare.

For each of these themes, the inquiry will first look at the impact of the pandemic, then the implementation of measures and, finally, the key decision-making.

The Scottish Covid Bereaved group said: “Covid-19 is something that everyone in Scotland has lived through, for many it was an inconvenience, but the hardship and suffering imposed by the pandemic was not equally spread, for the families we represent it was a horrific and traumatic experience.

“The families we represent in Scotland confronted on a daily basis the risk of infection or worse, in hospitals, care homes, prisons and on the frontline of the public sector; for thousands it meant the loss of life, the impact on their lives was devastating.

“The bereaved families have fought for a public inquiry that will be an effective robust mechanism to ensure that what has happened to them will not happen again.”