Parliament
279 mentions of the inquiry in Parliament: debates, written questions and statements, oral questions and early day motions, from Hansard.
Disease Control
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on future pandemic preparedness planning of the report entitled Covid Shielding Voices published by the Centre for Epidemiology, Versus Arthritis: University of Manchester in October 2023.
We cannot perfectly predict the characteristics of a future pandemic or know precisely which groups will be most affected by it, and we are therefore strengthening our pandemic preparedness by considering the flexible and scalable response capabilities that can be adapted to any threat that the health and social care system may need to respond to. We continue to review our pandemic planning, in close collaboration with system partners including the UK Health Security Agency, in response to new information and lessons learned from COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks. We continue to draw on a wide range of evidence, both from government research organisations and expert committees, as well as the wider research community
We understand that Versus Arthritis has submitted the recommendations of the Covid Shielding Voices report to the United Kingdom COVID-19 Inquiry. We are committed to learning from the Inquiry’s findings, which will play a key role in informing the Government’s planning and preparations for the future.
Read full answer →Disease Control
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will have discussions with the UK Health Security Agency on the adequacy of NHS preparedness for rapidly producing a shielded patient list in the event of a pandemic.
We cannot perfectly predict the characteristics of a future pandemic or know precisely which groups will be most affected by it, and we are therefore strengthening our pandemic preparedness by considering the flexible and scalable response capabilities that can be adapted to any threat that the health and social care system may need to respond to. We continue to review our pandemic planning, in close collaboration with system partners including the UK Health Security Agency, in response to new information and lessons learned from COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks. We continue to draw on a wide range of evidence, both from government research organisations and expert committees, as well as the wider research community
We understand that Versus Arthritis has submitted the recommendations of the Covid Shielding Voices report to the United Kingdom COVID-19 Inquiry. We are committed to learning from the Inquiry’s findings, which will play a key role in informing the Government’s planning and preparations for the future.
Read full answer →Disease Control
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to consult people who shielded during the covid-19 pandemic on the preparation of pandemic preparedness plans.
We cannot perfectly predict the characteristics of a future pandemic or know precisely which groups will be most affected by it, and we are therefore strengthening our pandemic preparedness by considering the flexible and scalable response capabilities that can be adapted to any threat that the health and social care system may need to respond to. We continue to review our pandemic planning, in close collaboration with system partners including the UK Health Security Agency, in response to new information and lessons learned from COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks. We continue to draw on a wide range of evidence, both from government research organisations and expert committees, as well as the wider research community
We understand that Versus Arthritis has submitted the recommendations of the Covid Shielding Voices report to the United Kingdom COVID-19 Inquiry. We are committed to learning from the Inquiry’s findings, which will play a key role in informing the Government’s planning and preparations for the future.
Read full answer →Coronavirus: Inquiries
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the (a) outcomes and (b) lessons learned from the covid-19 inquiries in other countries.
The Department is building on the valuable lessons to be learnt from COVID-19 to inform our preparedness for future pandemics and will review the lessons learnt reports from other countries with interest and ensure any relevant lessons are factored into o...
Read full answer →Covid-19 Inquiry
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that the scope of the Covid-19 Inquiry includes an assessment of the potential impact on people bereaved by covid-19 of the findings of the Cabinet Office report entitled Findings of Second Permanent Secretary's investigation into alleged gatherings on Government premises during covid restrictions.
In March, the Prime Minister published the draft terms of reference for the public inquiry into COVID-19. The Prime Minister asked Baroness Hallett - the inquiry’s chair - to consult publicly on the draft and to make proposals for further refinements. Following that consultation, Baroness Hallett has now published her recommendations. In accordance with the terms of the Inquiries Act, the Government will now consider her proposals fully, consult the devolved administrations, and will publish the inquiry's final terms of reference in due course.
Read full answer →10 Downing Street
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to require the proposed covid-19 inquiry to collect evidence on the impact of breaches of covid-19 restrictions at 10 Downing Street on people who were bereaved during covid-19.
In March, the Prime Minister published the draft terms of reference for the public inquiry into COVID-19. The Prime Minister asked Baroness Hallett - the inquiry’s chair - to consult publicly on the draft and to make proposals for further refinements. Following that consultation, Baroness Hallett has now published her recommendations. In accordance with the terms of the Inquiries Act, the Government will now consider her proposals fully, consult the devolved administrations, and will publish the inquiry's final terms of reference in due course.
Read full answer →Covid-19 Inquiry
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to consult relevant stakeholders on the criteria for the Terms of Reference for the Covid-19 Public Inquiry; who was consulted; and when he plans to publish the Terms of Reference.
On 12 May 2021, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into Covid-19 will be established on a statutory basis, with formal powers, and that it will begin its work in Spring 2022.
The Prime Minister has appointed the Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett as the chair of the inquiry. Draft terms of reference will be published in due course, following consultation with Baroness Hallett and ministers from the devolved administrations.
As set out in the Prime Minister’s statement on 15 December, Baroness Hallett will then lead the public consultation, including with bereaved families and other affected groups, before the terms of reference are finalised.
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