Meetings

NDM9215 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee on the Consideration of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report which was laid in the Table Office on 11 March 2026.

The item started at 16.46

NDM9215 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee on the Consideration of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report which was laid in the Table Office on 11 March 2026.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Draft report

The Business Committee considered the request and agreed to make time available in Plenary for a debate on the report on 18 March 2026.

Dr Simon Williams, Independent Expert Advisor

Key issues paper

Rt Hon Eluned Morgan, MS, First Minister of Wales
Dr Andy Fraser, Chief Officer, National Security & Resilience

Sioned Rees, Director, Public Health Protection

Alyson Francis, Director, Covid-19 Inquiry

Research brief

Written evidence from Welsh Government

Written evidence from Anna-Louise Marsh-Rees
Written evidence from Long Covid Support

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE, Chief Executive - Race Council Cymru

Chris Johnes, Chief Executive Officer - Building Communities Trust

Gwendolyn Sterk, Chief Executive Officer - Co-Production Network for Wales

4.1 The Committee received evidence from Race Council Cymru, Building Communities Trust and Co-Production Network for Wales.

4.2 The Chair declared that the witnesses were known to him.

Matthew Brown, Deputy Chief Executive - Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Katija Dew, Acting Director - British Red Cross

Bethan Russell Williams, Chief Officer - Mantell Gwynedd County Voluntary Council
Clair Swales, Chief Executive Officer - Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations

Research brief

3.1 The Committee received evidence from representatives of WCVA, British Red Cross, Mantell Gwynedd County Voluntary Council and Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations.

3.2 Mike Hedges MS declared that Clair Swales, Chief Executive Officer, Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is known to him.

3.3 The Chair declared that he chaired the Cross-Party Group on Hospice and Palliative Care inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on palliative care.

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

Dr Tracey Cooper OBE, Chief Executive

Professor Fu-Meng Khaw, National Director of Health Protection and Screening Services and Executive Medical Director

Dr Christopher Williams, Consultant Epidemiologist

Research brief

3.1 The Committee received evidence from representatives of Public Health Wales.

4.1 The Committee received a briefing from Dr Simon Williams.

NDM8962 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Wales covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee, ‘Report on the gaps identified in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government and other Welsh public bodies during the covid-19 pandemic that should be subject to further examination: UK covid-19 Inquiry Module 1’, which was laid in the Table Office on 25 March 2025.

The item started at 17.07

NDM8962 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Wales covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee, ‘Report on the gaps identified in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government and other Welsh public bodies during the covid-19 pandemic that should be subject to further examination: UK covid-19 Inquiry Module 1’, which was laid in the Table Office on 25 March 2025.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

This item has been postponed.

The Committee considered the paper prepared by the Committee’s expert advisor on the potential gaps of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.

The Committee considered the report and agreed to request further amendments before the publication of the final gap analysis report.

Witnesses

-       Alyson Francis, Director COVID-19 Public Inquiry, Welsh Government

-       Dr Andy Fraser, Deputy Director, National Security and Resilience Division, Welsh Government

-       Lori Frater, Head of Resilience Unit, National Security and Resilience Division, Welsh Government

The Committee received a technical briefing from Welsh Government officials; Alyson Francis, Director COVID-19 Public Inquiry, Dr Andy Fraser, Deputy Director, National Security and Resilience Division and Lori Frater, Head of Resilience Unit, National Security and Resilience Division.

The Committee considered the Welsh Goveremnet’s response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report on the resilience and preparedness of the UK.

The Committee agreed to write to the Welsh Government and to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry to request further information to inform its work.

The Committee considered the summary of consultation responses.

Members discussed the amendments to be made to the Gap Analysis report before its publication.

Witnesses

-       Nicolas Webb, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Royal College of General Practitioners

The Committee met and took evidence from Nicolas Webb, Chair of the Covid Committee Observation Group.

Witnesses

-       Professor Rowena Hill - Professor of Resilience, Emergencies and Disaster Science, Nottingham Trent University  

-       Richard Pickford - Manager of Nottingham Civic Exchange, Nottingham Trent University 

-       Dr Simon Williams, Expert Advisor 

The Committee considered the draft Gap Analysis report prepared by Nottingham Trent University.

The Committee held a private roundtable discussion with stakeholders to help inform its work identifying any gaps in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government to the pandemic that should be examined further.

Witnesses

-       Dr Simon Williams - Senior Lecturer in People and Organisation, Swansea University

-       Professor Rowena Hill - Professor of Resilience, Emergencies and Disaster Science, Nottingham Trent University

-       Richard Pickford - Manager of Nottingham Civic Exchange, Nottingham Trent University

Members received a brieifing and questioned acadmeics Dr Simon William, Professor Rowena Hill and Richard Pickford.

The Committee announced its approach to engagement and evidence gathering for consideration of Module 1 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry as follows:

• The Committee has commissioned Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to undertake a gap analysis of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry module 1 report;
• The Committee has appointed Dr Simon Williams, Swansea University as a long term advisor to the Committee;
• The Committee will meet with the Covid Committee Observation Group in relation to the potential ‘gaps’ they have identified in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The Committee will undertake a public consultation from 8 November 2024 to 3 January 2025 on Module 1 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
• The Committee will hold a hybrid stakeholder event on Monday 2 December in Cardiff to hear views on the Module 1 report and identify any potential gaps.
• The Committee noted that the Welsh Government’s response to the Module 1 report is likely to be published in December 2024/January 2025.
• The evidence gathered through the consultation and stakeholder event, along with the gap analysis by NTU and Welsh Government’s response to the Module 1 report, will be used by the Committee to identify and agree on any gaps in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government and other Welsh public bodies during the Covid-19 pandemic that should be subject to further examination. These gaps will be proposed in a motion for consideration by the Senedd.
• Subject to approval, the Committee will begin holding evidence sessions in public with the Welsh Government and relevant public bodies. The Committee does not envisage these sessions starting until the New Year.

The Committee discussed and considered it’s approach to evidence gathering for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.