Fourth Special Report - A Public Inquiry into the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic: Government’s response to the Committee’s Fifth report

This is the government's response, published 26 November 2020.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government agrees that an independent inquiry into COVID-19 should be established "at the appropriate time", but says it would be premature to respond in detail to the Committee's recommendations on its terms of reference now.

• On timing, the Government says a "premature inquiry" risks drawing key people away from the pandemic response, and that "it is not yet possible to predict when conditions will be right for the inquiry to start".
• On scope, shape, chairmanship and format, it "will consider" the relevant recommendations "at the right time" and "respond further to the Committee in due course".
• It says a pre-commencement hearing for the inquiry chair "would not be appropriate", as it "might risk" drawing the chair into the political process and undermining perceived impartiality.
• The Government agrees that, in responding to the inquiry's eventual report, it should be clear whether it is adopting any particular recommendation and the rationale. It "notes" the recommendations on departmental assessments, the Liaison Committee and the National Audit Office.

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