Welcome for core participant role for Welsh bereaved families in Covid inquiry
The Welsh Conservatives have welcomed the decision to grant the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group core participant status in Modules 2 and 2B in the UK-wide Coronavirus Inquiry.
The module is particularly important as it gives families the chance to scrutinise, in detail, how well the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay acted, politically and scientifically, in the light of UK Government decisions.
The Group has always campaigned for a Wales-specific Covid inquiry. The Welsh Conservatives have long supported the calls. Both were concerned that accountability in devolved nations would be overshadowed in a UK-wide inquiry.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said:
“Whilst I agree with the bereaved families group that a Wales-specific inquiry would have been the right choice, I am really pleased that they will get a seat at the table in the UK-wide investigation after campaigning so hard to be heard.
“I am certain they will do an excellent job in scrutinising the Labour Government over decisions that left Wales with the worst Covid-death rate in the UK and a quarter of Covid deaths coming from hospital-acquired infections.
“There are, of course, other issues that need to be examined from Wales losing more school days to the pandemic than any other British nation, the overzealous Omicron restrictions, and failing to plan for post-pandemic public service demand, leaving our NHS overwhelmed right now.
“However, despite this welcome news, this is only the start of getting the answers everyone deserves and we will need to see regular actions that demonstrate that Wales will not get lost in a UK-wide inquiry – otherwise, we will not learn the lessons to be prepared in future.”
