Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry
OngoingIndependent inquiry examining the Scottish Government's strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lord Brailsford appointed October 2022 following Lady Poole's resignation. Scope covers 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022. The impact hearings ran from October 2023 to June 2025, followed by hearings on epidemiology and on lockdown and restrictions to October 2025. Implementation hearings are scheduled for 5 to 23 October 2026, with the timetable for hearings on decision-making to follow. A single final report with recommendations is planned; no publication date has been announced. Over 12,500 people contributed evidence through the Let's Be Heard listening project.
Reports (6) Click to expand
| Title | Volume | Publication Date | Tracked recs | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Let's Be Heard: Sharing Respondents' Pandemic Experiences, Impacts, and Lessons to be Learned in Scotland | Listening Exercise | 30 Nov 2023 | 0 | |
| Voices of Prisoners: Experiences Shared with Let's Be Heard - A Case Study | Listening Exercise | 17 Feb 2025 | 0 | |
| Voices of Children and Young People: Experiences Shared with Let's Be Heard - A Case Study | Listening Exercise | 21 Aug 2025 | 0 | |
| Financial and Welfare Support: Voices from Businesses and Individuals | Listening Exercise | 02 Sep 2026 | 0 | |
| The impact of COVID-19 on health and social care in Scotland | Narrative Record | 24 Mar 2026 | 0 | |
| Narrative Record: Health and Social Care Impact Hearings | Narrative Record | 24 Mar 2026 | 0 |
Timeline (24) Click to expand
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a Scottish public inquiry into COVID-19.
Lord Brailsford appointed as Chair of the Inquiry.
First preliminary hearing held.
The Chair set out how the inquiry would conduct its health and social care investigations.
SourceThe first impact hearings opened, running to 23 May 2024 over 53 sitting days and hearing 156 witnesses.
SourceThe inquiry published the first report of its Let's Be Heard listening project, sharing what respondents said about their experiences, the impacts on them and the lessons they wanted learned.
SourceClosing statements for the health and social care impact hearings were heard on 27 and 28 June 2024.
SourceThe Chair explained how the education and certification, and business and welfare investigations would be carried out.
SourceImpact hearings on education and certification ran from 5 to 20 November 2024 over 10 sitting days.
SourceImpact hearings on business and welfare ran from 2 to 18 December 2024 over 12 sitting days.
SourceThe Chair set out how the inquiry would conduct its justice, worship and life events, and equalities and human rights investigations.
SourceA Let's Be Heard case study setting out what prisoners shared about their experiences of the pandemic in Scotland.
SourceImpact hearings on justice ran from 18 to 28 February 2025 over 8 sitting days.
SourceImpact hearings on worship and life events ran from 29 April to 2 May 2025 over 4 sitting days.
SourceImpact hearings on equalities and human rights ran from 10 to 20 June 2025 over 6 sitting days.
SourceA Let's Be Heard case study setting out what children and young people shared about their experiences of the pandemic in Scotland.
SourceThe inquiry heard responses to core participant questions on its epidemiology evidence on 22 and 23 September 2025.
SourceHearings on lockdown and other restrictions ran from 24 September to 2 October 2025, covering international approaches, and scientific, social and ethical considerations.
SourceA preliminary hearing was held on the shape of the inquiry's remaining hearings.
SourceThe inquiry published a narrative record of the health and social care impact hearings, with an executive summary alongside it. The record sets out the evidence heard and contains no findings of fact or recommendations.
SourceThe Chair set out his plans for the implementation hearings at a preliminary hearing held on 25 August 2026.
SourceThe first of the Let's Be Heard volumes, on financial and welfare support, drew on the experiences of over 12,500 contributors to the listening project.
SourceHearings examining the implementation of Scottish Government policies and guidance are scheduled for 5 to 23 October 2026, covering pre-pandemic planning, decision making, advisory relationships, use of evidence, communication, implementation, coordination, governance and accountability.
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