UK Covid Inquiry: When are Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney set to appear, and what will they be asked?

Both former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her former deputy John Swinney are set to appear before the UK Covid Inquiry – what will they be asked?

Nicola Sturgeon and former deputy first minister John Swinney are set to appear in front of the UK Covid Inquiry in London – but what is the inquiry and what are expected to learn from their appearance?

Put simply, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has been set up “to examine the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and learn lessons for the future”. It was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in May 2021.

The chair of the inquiry, Baroness Heather Hallett, was appointed in December 2021, and the final terms of reference – basically, what the inquiry intends to investigate – were received in June last year.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to appear in front of the UK Covid Inquiry in London on Thursday

The inquiry has been established under the Inquiries Act (2005). This means Baroness Hallett will have the power to compel the production of documents and call witnesses to give evidence on oath.

The inquiry is split into four modules:

• Resilience and preparedness
• Core UK decision-making and political governance
• Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the four nations of the UK
• Vaccines and therapeutics

When did the Covid Inquiry start?

The first module of the UK Covid-19 inquiry, looking into preparedness for the pandemic was formally opened on July 21 last year, but the public hearing only started in June of this year.

Who has appeared so far?

Former prime minister David Cameron appeared last week, and told the inquiry it was a "mistake" not to consider different types of diseases when preparing for future pandemics – in particular, Mr Cameron said "group think" meant his government did not focus enough on pandemics other than flu.

Also appearing before the inquiry, former chancellor George Osborne rejected claims his austerity programme had left the NHS in a "parlous state" ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Osborne even suggested his cuts better prepared the UK to tackle the outbreak.

However, the head of the UK's Health Security Agency said austerity measures left public health services "denuded" during her time at the microphone stand.

Professor Dame Jenny Harries told the Covid inquiry that budget cuts placed local health officials under "significant pressure", and community infection prevention became a "declining resource".

Former health secretary Matt Hancock faced a gruelling three-hour session in front of the inquiry this week, where he insisted he was “profoundly sorry” for every death caused by Covid-19 and admitted it was a “colossal” failure to assume the spread of the virus could not be stopped.

Mr Hancock said he understood some people would find it difficult to accept his apology, but added it was “honest and heartfelt”.

He also told the inquiry the “central failing” that hampered the UK’s response, common with the rest of the western world, “was the refusal and the explicit decision that it would not be possible to halt the spread of a new pandemic – that is wrong and that is at the centre of the failure of preparation”.

How is Scotland’s pandemic response being examined?

Scotland’s former health secretary Jeane Freeman faced questions from the inquiry on Wednesday, June 28.

She was supposed to be have been joined by Dr Catherine Calderwood, the country's former chief medical officer. But Dr Calderwood, who was forced to resign after breaking her own Covid lockdown rules, cancelled her appearance.

A spokesperson for the UK Covid Inquiry refused to explain why Dr Calderwood did not make an appearance.

Next up is Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney, who are due to give evidence on Thursday, June 29.

What will they be asked?

The hearings so far have focused on the early stages of the pandemic – the decision to implement lockdown, when that decision was made, what advice was taken on board and when that advice was given.

It is likely both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Swinney will be asked to justify the timing and severity of the initial lockdown – for example, could it have happened sooner? Was it strict enough or too strict? What would they have done differently if given the chance?

What about the Scottish Covid Inquiry?

A separate Scottish Covid-19 inquiry, set up by the Scottish Government, has yet to hold public hearings.

On December 14, 2021, Mr Swinney announced that Lady Poole would chair the inquiry. However, Lady Poole resigned in September 2022, citing personal reasons, leading to Mr Swinney appointing Lord Brailsford as the new chair.

In October 2022, the inquiry's terms of reference were published, after being amended to make explicit reference to a human rights-based approach.