Covid inquiry flags issues in Welsh emergency planning

The parts of Wales’s preparations for a pandemic that need further examining have been identified in the first report from the Senedd’s Covid Committee.

The Committee was tasked with identifying gaps in the UK-wide Covid-19 Inquiry that needed to be examined in more detail in Wales.

It identified a total of nine key areas, which will be presented in a motion to the full Senedd for debate on Wednesday 2 April. These include:

• Reviewing the most effective resilience and preparedness model for Wales

• Data sharing during emergencies

• Clarity and coordination of public messaging

If the Senedd agrees to the motion, the Committee will begin detailed Wales-specific scrutiny to complement the work of the UK-wide Inquiry.

Joyce Watson MS and Tom Giffard MS, Co-Chairs of the Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee, said:

“Today we launch the first report of the Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee. It is the result of months of comprehensive work to assess and identify potential gaps for further examination from the findings of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report.

“The pandemic was a painful and traumatic experience for many in Wales. We are extremely grateful for the insights and experiences shared by everyone who assisted us with our work, including through our public consultation and stakeholder engagement.

“We have detailed our conclusions and highlighted each area we believe requires further examination. These gaps will be presented in a motion to the whole Senedd for their consideration next week.”

The Committee’s nine recommendations focus on areas where the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report did not fully reflect the Welsh context. These include how Wales’s resilience structures functioned, how decisions were communicated, and how data was shared across agencies.

To inform its work, the Committee drew on a gap analysis report by civil contingency experts from Nottingham Trent University, a stakeholder event held in December, and an open public consultation.

The evidence gathered included submissions from health boards, local councils, community groups and individual members of the public.

Evidence submitted by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which serves North East Wales, highlighted the need to improve data sharing systems to support emergency responses and research. Public submissions also called for greater clarity in communication and stronger inclusion of local voices in planning.

The Committee was established in May 2023 with a specific remit – to examine each stage of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and propose to the Senedd any gaps in the Welsh Government’s preparedness and response that should be explored further.

Its work on Module 1 follows the publication of the UK Inquiry’s report on resilience and preparedness in July 2024 and the Welsh Government’s response in January 2025.

If approved by the Senedd, the motion would mark the first time a Senedd committee’s work programme has been determined by a vote in Plenary.

It would also allow the Committee to move into its next phase of work – gathering further evidence and producing new recommendations rooted in Wales-specific circumstances.

The motion will be debated on Wednesday 2 April 2025.