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Ministers were reportedly warned they could face vast claims for damages from bereaved families
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The government has been accused of attempting to block disclosures over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as the Covid Inquiry starts its investigative phase today.
Baroness Hallett, the inquiry chair, is set to open proceedings on Thursday and share more information about its timetable and how she intends to be run.
But according to Bloomberg, officials have asked a top government lawyer to assess how much information must be provided to investigators about its policy discussions during the pandemic.
Sources with knowledge of the discussions told the news outlet that Sir James Eadie QC has advised the cabinet to limit the scope of information provided to the inquiry.
He reportedly also warned ministers that they are likely to face claims for damages from the bereaved families of Covid victims.
On Wednesday, families who lost loved ones during the pandemic demanded to play a central role in the inquiry – which would allow them to give evidence, ask questions, access all disclosed documents, and recommend people to be interviewed.
Officials are still determining how the listening exercise will function alongside the main inquiry and what shape it will take.
The government has been accused of attempting to block disclosures over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as the Covid Inquiry starts its investigative phase today.
Baroness Hallett, the inquiry chair, is set to open proceedings on Thursday and share more information about its timetable and how she intends to be run.
But according to Bloomberg, officials have asked a top government lawyer to assess how much information must be provided to investigators about its policy discussions during the pandemic.
Sources with knowledge of the discussions told the news outlet that Sir James Eadie QC has advised the cabinet to limit the scope of information provided to the inquiry.
He reportedly also warned ministers that they are likely to face claims for damages from the bereaved families of Covid victims.
Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has backed Rishi Sunak his bid for No 10, praising the former chancellor’s work in the Treasury during the pandemic.
He “charted a steady course through Covid,” she said.
Mr Sunak was instrumental in designing the controversial ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme launched in September 2020, which was later accused of contributing to a significant rise in coronavirus cases.
Those most directly impacted by the pandemic (and by the government’s response to it) hail from a diverse range of demographics. One of the striking messages so far is the clear inequality of consequence for different groups within our society.
My hope is that the listening part of the inquiry will bring forward voices that may not always be heard, and that we will learn and grow as a result, writes Rosemary Dartnall. Though there is, of course, a long way to go between now and any sort of healing conclusion.
My hope is that families like mine will be given full access to the inquiry to express our loss
Sales have slumped at Ocado after the online retail firm said customers are shrinking the size of their orders in response to the rise in the cost of living and the end of Covid curbs.
The company also saw losses balloon to £211 million, from £27.9 million a year earlier, as the group pumped more money into the expansion of its technology operations.
Group revenues fell by 4.4% to £1.26 billion over the six months to May 29, compared with the same period last year.
The preliminary Covid Inquiry hearings will start this year and the first witnesses will be called next spring, its chair Baroness Heather Hallett has said.
Its first investigation, dubbed “Module 1”, opens today, and will examine the resilience and preparedness of the UK for the coronavirus pandemic, a statement reads.
The first procedural hearings will begin in September and October for Module 1 and Module 2, with the latter seeking to examine core political and administrative governance and decision-making by the UK government.
Public hearings for Module 1 will begin in spring 2023 for Module 1 and summer for Module 2.
Families who lost loved ones during the pandemic have demanded to play a central role in the UK’s Covid-19 inquiry, which launches its investigative phase on Thursday.
The inquiry has already consulted with different groups, businesses, academics and officials from a variety of sectors involved in the pandemic response to review which areas warrant scrutiny and how to structure proceedings.
This includes Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, a campaign group of over 6,000 people who have lost loved ones to coronavirus.
Our senior news correspondent Samuel Lovett reports:
‘We need to have the right to challenge the government’: the next stage of the inquiry kicks off on Thursday
The Covid Inquiry chair has said she will be “resolute” in her “quest for the truth” in a bid to reduce the scope of others to suffer in the same way as those bereaved families who lost loved ones to the pandemic.
Baroness Heather Hallett said: “Our work must be swift. The Inquiry’s scope is broad, so we will start with the most pressing questions – was the UK prepared for a pandemic? I will share more information on our investigations as our plans evolve.
“When meeting those who lost loved ones earlier this year, I was struck by the devastating nature of their loss, exacerbated by the impact of the restrictions in place at the time on their ability to grieve. Millions felt hardship and loss during the pandemic, and for some life will never feel the same again.
“I will do my very best to undertake the Inquiry in a way that acknowledges this suffering, and seeks to reduce the scope for others to suffer in the same way in the future.”
An immunologist has warned the new strain of Covid could be causing different symptoms – including one that emerges during the night.
Omicron BA.5 is a highly-contagious subvariant causing concern as it contributes to a fresh wave of infections around the globe, including the UK.
Scientists have been finding differences with previous strains, including the ability to reinfect people within weeks of having Covid.
A leading immunologist has now suggested it could be causing a new symptom among patients.
Zoe Tidman reports:
‘Isn’t that strange?’ scientist says as he shares different disease caused by BA.5
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