UK COVID-19 Inquiry

The Department of Health (Northern Ireland) should reconstitute the role of the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland as an independent advisory role. The Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland should not have managerial responsibilities within the Department of Health (Northern Ireland).

In March 2026, the Northern Ireland Executive accepted the recommendation, stating that following departmental restructuring the Chief Medical Officer no longer held managerial responsibility for departmental directorates, though further options to safeguard the role's independent advisory status were being developed before establishing an implementation timeframe (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the Northern Ireland Executive's response of March 2026 (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).

The Government Office for Science (GO-Science) should invite the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to nominate a small number of representatives to attend meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) from the outset of any future emergency. The status of those representatives as either 'participant' or 'observer' should depend upon their expertise and should be a matter for SAGE to determine.

In March 2026, the Cabinet Office stated that the Government Office for Science had already made the required changes to ensure devolved Chief Scientific Advisers are invited to observe meetings from the outset of an emergency, with participant status decided by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Earlier that month, the Northern Ireland Executive accepted the recommendation, while the Scottish Government and Welsh Government noted it and confirmed ongoing work to agree devolved attendance arrangements (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the UK Government's response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The Government Office for Science (GO-Science) should develop and maintain a register of experts across the four nations of the UK who would be willing to participate in scientific advisory groups, covering a broad range of potential civil emergencies. The register should be regularly refreshed through open calls for applications.

The Inquiry recommended creating a UK-wide emergency expert register refreshed through open calls. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that the Government Office for Science (GO-Science) already maintains an expert register for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), is refreshing selection processes during 2026, and is working with devolved governments (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The department explained in March 2026 that exploring options for open calls is a longer-term ambition due to resource requirements and the need for operational flexibility (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). It added in March 2026 that the register cannot be relied upon exclusively and that agile processes will continue to identify emergency expertise at pace (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

During a whole-system civil emergency, the UK government and devolved administrations should each routinely publish technical advice on scientific, economic and social matters at the earliest opportunity, as well as the minutes of expert advisory groups – except where there are good reasons that prevent publication, such as commercial confidentiality, personal safety or national security, or because legal advice privilege applies.

The Cabinet Office accepted the recommendation in March 2026, stating that advisory papers and minutes will be published as and when appropriate and that it will continue reviewing guidance to define publication roles during emergencies (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government also accepted the recommendation in March 2026, committing to transparency and early publication in future civil emergencies (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the Cabinet Office's response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The Government Office for Science (GO-Science), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Health (Northern Ireland) should each develop standard terms of appointment for all participants in scientific advisory groups. These terms should include: clarity around the nature of an individual's role and the extent of their responsibility, as well as the likely time commitment; payment where their time commitment means that they have to spend time away from their substantive role; access to support services; and access to advice on personal and online security, with procedures for escalating specific concerns.

The UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated in March 2026 that the Government Office for Science will review and update terms, conditions, and support for advisory group participants by 2027, including developing guidance on institutional compensation (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Earlier that month, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government also accepted the recommendation to establish standard terms of appointment (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the UK Government (Cabinet Office)'s response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government should bring into force in England section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, implementing the socio-economic duty. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive should consider an equivalent provision within section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The Inquiry recommended enacting the socio-economic duty in England and Northern Ireland. In September 2026, Satvir Kaur, answering for Women and Equalities, stated that work continues towards commencing the duty, which includes drafting statutory guidance, and that a list of subject public authorities will be published upon commencement (Satvir Kaur, Sep 2026). In March 2026, the Northern Ireland Executive stated that exploring an equivalent provision remained under consideration while officials engaged with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and other stakeholders (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).

The UK government should introduce legislation to place child rights impact assessments on a statutory footing in England. The Northern Ireland Executive should consider an equivalent provision.

The Inquiry recommended statutory child rights impact assessments for England and Northern Ireland. In June 2026, Josh MacAlister, answering for the Department for Education, stated that the government does not intend to introduce legislation to make Child’s Rights Impact Assessments (CRIAs) a statutory requirement at this time (Josh MacAlister, Jun 2026). In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that it would consider Module 8 report findings the following year while working to incorporate children's interests into risk planning (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Earlier in March 2026, the Northern Ireland Executive stated that it did not propose to legislate for CRIAs at that time, though it could review this position following Module 8 (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).

The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive should each agree a framework that identifies people who would be most at risk of becoming infected by and dying from a disease and those who are most likely to be negatively impacted by any steps taken to respond to a future pandemic. The framework should set out the specific steps that could be taken to mitigate the risks to these people. Equality impact assessments should form part of this framework. Where they cannot be undertaken in a national crisis, they should be reinstated as soon as possible. Each government should agree and publish in its response to this Report how it will ensure that this framework is embedded into emergency decision-making and who will be responsible for ensuring these issues remain under consideration throughout a national crisis.

The Inquiry recommended that UK governments agree frameworks mitigating pandemic risks for vulnerable populations. In March 2026, the UK Government accepted the recommendation, stating that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will review existing guidance to identify gaps and embed frameworks into emergency decision-making (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The response described plans to evaluate community measures and consult people with lived experience, but it did not mention equality impact assessments or who would be responsible for these issues during a crisis (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Earlier that month, the Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government also accepted the recommendation in full or in principle, detailing updates to their respective emergency frameworks (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The Northern Ireland Executive and UK government (in consultation with the Irish government where necessary) should review the structures and delegated powers of government in Northern Ireland to consider: the empowerment of the First Minister and deputy First Minister jointly to direct the work of other ministers and departments during an emergency; the empowerment of the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service in relation to the allocation of civil servants to departments or to civil contingency structures during an emergency; and how decisions that would usually be subject to ministerial approval would be taken should an emergency occur during the suspension of power-sharing arrangements.

The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that the recommendation remained under consideration, explaining that it was working to enhance civil service redeployment powers while engaging with an Assembly committee on ministerial emergency powers (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated in March 2026 that local parties should consider any institutional changes, though it stood ready to discuss proposals and consult the Irish government (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the UK Government (Cabinet Office)'s response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government and devolved administrations should set out in future pandemic preparedness strategies (see the Inquiry’s Module 1 Report, Recommendation 4) how decision-making will work in a future pandemic. This should include provision for COBR to be used as the initial response structure and set out how the UK government and devolved administrations will transition from managing a pandemic through COBR to managing it through separate arrangements in each nation when it becomes clear that the emergency will be longer-term. It should include provision for longer-term decision-making structures in the UK government which consist of: a strategy group to set the overall approach to each stage of the pandemic and take decisions on major interventions (eg entering and exiting lockdown); and an operational group to take decisions on the implementation of the agreed strategy throughout the pandemic. The design of these structures should include an outline of decision-making procedures for each group. The strategy should make express provision for the involvement of the UK Cabinet in the decision-making of the strategy and operational groups. It should also provide that longer-term decision-making should be conducted primarily by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Cabinets and the Northern Ireland Executive. Decision-making groups in each nation should include a minister with responsibility for representing the interests of vulnerable groups. In the UK government, the Minister for Women and Equalities may be the most appropriate minister in this regard.

The Inquiry asked governments to set out pandemic decision-making structures in preparedness strategies. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that initial crisis responses would use Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) before transitioning to strategy and operational committees, with the Minister for Women and Equalities representing vulnerable groups (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that the design of an enduring response structure remained under consideration (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The Scottish Government confirmed in March 2026 that its governance outline established strategic and operational structures, while the Welsh Government stated in March 2026 that decisions on devolved matters must remain with Welsh Ministers from the outset (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government and devolved administrations should each establish formal arrangements for covering the roles of Prime Minister and First Minister (and in Northern Ireland, deputy First Minister) as applicable during a whole-system civil emergency, should the incumbent be unable to undertake their duties for any reason.

The Inquiry recommended formal leadership succession arrangements for UK and devolved leaders. In September 2026, Mr Hamish Falconer, answering for the Cabinet Office, stated that the Cabinet list on GOV.UK provides the current order of precedence of ministers (Mr Hamish Falconer, Sep 2026). In March 2026, the department accepted the recommendation and stated that the Prime Minister would put appropriate arrangements in place (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Also in March 2026, the Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government accepted the measure, though the Executive stated that deciding pre-agreed succession arrangements remained under consideration (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).

The response to a future whole-system civil emergency should be coordinated via central taskforces in each of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with responsibility for the commissioning and synthesis of advice, coordination of a single data picture and facilitation of decision-making processes. In preparation, the UK government and devolved administrations should each design the operating procedures for these taskforces, including, but not limited to, identifying the key roles needed to run the taskforces and how those roles would be appointed. The UK government should also identify the role of its taskforce in supporting decision-making procedures within the strategy and operational decision-making structures. These arrangements should be incorporated into future pandemic preparedness strategies (see the Inquiry’s Module 1 Report, Recommendation 4).

The Inquiry recommended establishing central emergency taskforces across the UK and devolved administrations. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that operational plans for a pandemic taskforce were drafted in its Pandemic Concept of Operations, to coordinate cross-government strategy and data (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that it supported an enduring response structure, though its precise composition remained under consideration (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). Earlier in March 2026, the Scottish Government accepted the recommendation in principle while formalising its operational approach, and the Welsh Government stated that it would incorporate an enduring taskforce into guidance published in early summer 2026 (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The Executive Office should amend the Ministerial Code to impose a duty of confidentiality on ministers that prohibits the disclosure of the individual views of ministers expressed during meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive Committee.

The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that the recommendation remained under consideration, noting that The Executive Office would consider proposals to amend the Ministerial Code, though any change would require agreement by the Executive Committee and Assembly (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated in March 2026 that the recommendation was not for it to respond to (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the Northern Ireland Executive's response of March 2026 (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).

The UK government and devolved administrations should each develop action plans for how government communications will be made more accessible during a pandemic. As a minimum, these should include making provision for the translation of government press conferences into British Sign Language (and Irish Sign Language in Northern Ireland) and the translation of key announcements into the most frequently spoken languages in the UK.

The Inquiry asked UK administrations to develop action plans for accessible pandemic communications. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that it had established a British Sign Language protocol for emergency announcements and updated crisis planning guidance, though translating announcements into the UK's most frequently spoken languages was not mentioned (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). Also that month, the Northern Ireland Executive committed to drafting accessible communications guidance by September 2026 and highlighted its use of sign language interpreters (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). Earlier in March 2026, the Scottish Government agreed to develop an action plan including sign language and spoken language translations, and the Welsh Government pledged to add crisis advice to its inclusive communications guide (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government and devolved administrations should ensure that the draft affirmative procedure is the standard process for enacting substantial and wide-ranging powers in a civil emergency, such as a pandemic, under primary public health legislation. Any departure from this procedure should be the exception, with clear criteria and safeguards in place to prevent the bypassing of parliamentary scrutiny. These safeguards should include: ‘sunset clauses’ for regulations made using the made affirmative procedure, specifying a clear expiration date, typically within two months; and a duty on ministers to report to their respective legislatures every two months on the exercise of emergency powers.

The Inquiry recommended making the draft affirmative procedure standard for emergency public health powers. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that sunset clauses and reporting duties can be useful, but legislative approaches must be decided case by case (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Executive accepted the recommendation in March 2026, noting that further discussion with Assembly colleagues is required (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The Scottish Government accepted the recommendation in March 2026, agreeing that made affirmative regulations should typically expire within two months (Scottish Government response, Mar 2026). The Welsh Government accepted the recommendation in principle in March 2026, noting that different emergencies require different legislative approaches (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government should undertake a review of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to assess its potential role in managing future civil emergencies, including pandemics, and whether it could be employed as an interim emergency framework until more specific legislation with appropriate parliamentary safeguards is passed. The review should: examine the conditions under which the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 may be invoked in a public health emergency; consider any adjustments to the Act’s safeguards, such as the triple lock test or time limits, that would make it more adaptable to pandemics; and produce clear guidance on the Act’s application for use in civil emergencies, including pandemics, to support its use as an emergency measure in advance of specific legislation – such as a dedicated pandemic bill – being passed.

The Inquiry recommended reviewing the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to assess its role in pandemics. In September 2026, Dan Jarvis, answering for the Cabinet Office, stated that a review assessing changes to the legislation and guidance was underway and due before Parliament by March 2027 (Dan Jarvis, Sep 2026). The department had launched a call for views in July 2026 seeking evidence on safeguards for using emergency powers in pandemics (Cabinet Office, Jul 2026). The UK Government accepted the recommendation in March 2026, agreeing to review emergency powers, safeguards, and guidance in collaboration with devolved administrations (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive should develop an online portal for use in future civil emergencies, where members of the public can access information on the legal restrictions that apply in their area and any associated guidance. This portal should be easily accessible and its content should be written in straightforward and unambiguous language.

The Inquiry recommended creating an online portal detailing local civil emergency restrictions and guidance. In March 2026, the UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated that existing tools such as GOV.UK would be used rather than a single portal, but committed to co-producing shared emergency communication principles with devolved administrations during 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that its NI Direct website could host emergency guidance if required (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). Earlier that month, the Scottish Government and Welsh Government similarly favoured relying on their established national websites rather than a unified portal, while agreeing to develop the joint 2026 principles (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

The UK government should invite the devolved administrations, as a matter of standard practice, to nominate relevant ministers and officials to attend COBR meetings in the event of relevant whole-system civil emergencies that have the potential to have UK-wide effects.

In its March 2026 response, the UK Government accepted the recommendation, agreeing that devolved government representatives should be invited to COBR and associated taskforce meetings where relevant, while stating that attendance decisions remain on a case-by-case basis for the meeting chair under the Amber Book (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the Cabinet Office's response of March 2026 (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026).

While intergovernmental relations should be facilitated through COBR in the initial months of any future pandemic, the UK government and devolved administrations should ensure that a specific four-nations structure, concerning pandemic response, is stood up at the same time as the transition away from COBR to nation-specific decision-making structures. This should meet regularly during a pandemic and be attended by all heads of government. Arrangements for these four-nations meetings should be incorporated into future pandemic preparedness strategies (see the Inquiry’s Module 1 Report, Recommendation 4).

The Inquiry recommended creating a specific four-nations pandemic structure when transitioning from emergency response. In June 2026, Dan Jarvis, Minister for Security, stated that resilience plans had been updated to strengthen relationships with devolved administrations through the four nations ministerial group (Dan Jarvis, Jun 2026). In March 2026, the Cabinet Office agreed a four-nations structure is needed when moving away from Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR), noting discussions would finalise arrangements and ministerial representation (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). That month, the Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and Northern Ireland Executive each agreed to develop joint arrangements, with the Welsh Government stating agreement was achievable within 12 months (Welsh Government response, Mar 2026; Scottish Government response, Mar 2026; Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).