Baroness Heather Hallett has announced the opening of Module 2 and the scope of the investigation that will be carried out during this module.
Following the Chair’s announcement of a modular approach to the Covid Inquiry during her opening statement earlier this year, we have been eagerly awaiting more information on what exactly each module will cover, when they will start, and who will be included in the investigation, both as Core Participants and as witnesses.
We have established that Module 1 will cover the Government’s preparedness for a pandemic, with a preliminary hearing for this module taking place on 20th September 2022, before public hearings are expected to start in spring 2023. The Covid Inquiry Chair also announced that preliminary hearings for Module 2 are predicted to begin in summer 2023 which was met with scepticism as this would only allocate three months to sufficiently conclude Module 1.
Covid Inquiry Module 2
Baroness Hallett has now given more information on what we can expect from Module 2.
Module 2 will cover “the UK’s core political and administrative decision-making in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic between early January 2020 until February 2022, when the remaining Covid restrictions were lifted”. This module will pay particular attention to the actions and decision taken by the Prime Minister, as well as the Cabinet Office and any scientific and political advisers that were involved in those decision-making processes during this time. This means all decisions big and small will be scrutinised, from delayed lockdown, to the discharging of hospital patients to care homes, to the easing of restrictions.
You can read the full provisional scope of Module 2 here.
Covid Inquiry Sub-modules
Beneath Module 2 the Chair has announced that there will be sub-modules looking specifically at the devolved nations and jurisdictions. Module 2A will look at the core political and administrative decision-making of the Scottish Government between January 2020 and April 2022, when the final restrictions were eased.
Module 2B will cover the same scope looking specifically at the Welsh Government and the decisions they made up until May 2022, while Module 2C will scrutinise the Northern Irish Government and the decisions they made up to March 2022.
Read the provisional scope for Module 2A
Read the provisional scope for Module 2B
Read the provisional scope for Module 2C
Core Participant status
Module 2 is now open, meaning they are now accepting applications for Core Participant status up until the 23rd September. Broudie Jackson Canter will be submitting applications for Core Participant status on behalf of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group and the individual bereaved family members that have instructed us free of charge to represent them in the Covid Inquiry.
If you’ve lost a loved one to Covid, it isn’t too late to instruct legal representation and be part of this Inquiry, without any cost to you.
Instruct free legal representation
Visit our Covid Inquiry FAQ page for answers to some of our commonly asked questions surrounding the Inquiry, next steps, how to instruct free legal representation and more.