Welsh Parliament urged to set-up Covid inquiry

© Getty Images The Welsh government has its own Covid rules and regulations during the pandemic

The Welsh parliament is being urged to set up its own inquiry into Covid.

Opposition parties have said a cross-party group of Senedd members should investigate the Welsh government’s pandemic response.

Labour is expected to vote against the idea on Wednesday.

Instead, the Welsh government has said an investigation should wait until the UK’s official Covid inquiry has finished.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has repeatedly refused requests from opposition parties and bereaved families to set up a Welsh public inquiry into Covid.

As a result, the Conservatives – backed by Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats – want the Senedd to create a new panel with Members of the Senedd.

Known as a special purposes committee, it would look at anything that is not covered by the UK’s official Covid inquiry, led by Baroness Hallett, and would publish a report by December 2024.

Government sources have said that would mean the Senedd and Hallett inquiries running side by side.

The UK inquiry is planning to hold public hearings in Wales next autumn.

The Senedd’s investigation should wait to see if “gaps” or “unanswered questions” emerge from the Hallett inquiry’s report, one source has said.

The government has said it “continues to believe that the UK inquiry is the best way for people to get answers to the questions they have about the pandemic”.

But the source has said some families will want “some sort of safety net” in case the Hallett inquiry cannot answer all their questions.

Labour has been expected to table its own motion soon, making clear that the Senedd should wait for the final Hallett report before a special committee starts investigating.

With equal numbers of Labour and opposition members, Wednesday’s vote could split the Senedd. In a tie, the presiding officer normally uses her casting vote to quash motions.

Tory health spokesman Russell George said: “We simply should not be in this position where we are asking for a Senedd committee to do the job of filling the gaps of the UK investigation.

“Mr Drakeford was keener than anyone to point out that Welsh rules were made in Wales, so why should there be no investigation here either?”

Plaid health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “We must take every opportunity to scrutinise the Welsh government on Covid, both good decisions and bad.

“That’s how we’ll learn lessons about what worked well and what didn’t.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds said “if Welsh Labour supports the devolution of more powers to Wales, they must understand that with increased powers comes increased scrutiny”.