Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry
Independent inquiry examining the Scottish Government's strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Independent 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.
Where it stands
Hearings are sitting this week. The latest sitting day was 23 October 2026; the next is listed for 28 October. The inquiry has published 7 reports, most recently Education and Childcare: Voices from Early Years and Education Professionals, and Parents on 1 October 2026.
October 2026
Wednesday 28 October 2026
Reports & recommendations
Reports →- Voices of Children and Young People: Experiences Shared with Let's Be Heard - A Case Study
- Let's Be Heard: Sharing Respondents' Pandemic Experiences, Impacts, and Lessons to be Learned in Scotland
- Voices of Prisoners: Experiences Shared with Let's Be Heard - A Case Study
- Financial and Welfare Support: Voices from Businesses and Individuals
- Education and Childcare: Voices from Early Years and Education Professionals, and Parents
- The impact of COVID-19 on health and social care in Scotland
Latest evidence
All 798 documents →Costs
Cumulative expenditure to 31 December 2025
Source and qualifications
Accounting period: 14 Dec 2021 to 31 Dec 2025.