BORIS Johnson has confirmed the UK Government will set up an independent public inquiry with statutory powers into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the best time for the inquiry to begin will be next spring, given it is likely that there will be a Covid spike in the winter.
Johnson outlined the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic before telling the House of Commons: “Amid such tragedy the state has an obligation to examine its actions as rigorously and as candidly as possible, and to learn every lesson for the future – which is why I’ve always said when the time is right there should be a full and independent inquiry.
“So, I can confirm today that the Government will establish an independent public inquiry on a statutory basis, with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 – including the ability to compel the production of all relevant materials and take oral evidence in public under oath.
“In establishing the inquiry, we will work closely with the devolved administrations.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer questioned why the inquiry could not start before spring 2022, asking in the Commons: “I understand a statutory inquiry will take time to set up, but why could it not be later this year? Why could it not start earlier?”
He pressed the Prime Minister to explain if the inquiry will open and start taking evidence in spring 2022 or whether that will be the work to establish the inquiry.
Johnson said the preparatory work to establish the terms of reference and the inquiry chair “will happen before the spring of next year”, adding: “We will be getting it under way, we will be taking some key decisions.
“I think the House will agree that it would not be right to devote the time of people who are looking after us, who are saving lives, to an inquiry before we can be absolutely, much more certain than we are now that the pandemic is behind us.”
Johnson earlier said of the inquiry: “I feel personally very, very strongly that this country has been through a trauma like no other, it is absolutely vital for the sake of the bereaved, for the sake of our country, that we should understand exactly what happened, we should learn the lessons – we have been learning lessons throughout – but we need to have a very clear understanding of what took place over the last 14 months.
“I think we owe it to the country to have as much transparency as we possibly can and we owe it to the country to produce answers in a reasonable timescale.”
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