Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Paragraph: 81
Building trust between leaders and the public is essential to the response.
Conclusion
Building trust between leaders and the public is essential to the response. The evidence the Committee has received, including from behavioural scientists, shows that people respond to open and honest information that is clear about the uncertainties within it. Some data has been communicated with the apparent intention of creating a more favourable view of the Government and some data has appeared to have been used to provoke anxiety rather than help people understand risk. It is disappointing to hear that the way data has been presented might have undermined public trust.
Paragraph Reference:
81
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government has always been clear that there will be opportunities to look back, analyse, reflect and to learn lessons on all aspects of COVID-19 - and that this would include an independent inquiry at the appropriate time. On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry would be established on a statutory basis - with full formal powers - and that it will begin its work in spring 2022. Aside from the inquiry, the Government of course continues to learn lessons and apply them to its response to COVID. The ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ publication applied all the experience of the pandemic to this strategy to cautiously lift restrictions, not least in the transparent use of data, analysis and modelling used to inform decision making. Our response has also been subject to extensive independent scrutiny, including seventeen reports by the independent National Audit Office and fifty parliamentary inquiries to date. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster agreed to appear before PACAC to discuss the review into COVID-status certification, and will answer the Committee’s outstanding questions answered during this appearance.