The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has urged the Welsh Government to provide clarity on what steps they have taken to commission an independent judge-led public inquiry into the Welsh Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The intervention follows an open letter, published earlier this week, from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru Group.
In a Written Question to the First Minister, Janet asked:
“Will the First Minister confirm what conversations his Cabinet have undertaken to commission an independent judge-led public inquiry into the Welsh Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic?
Commenting on the need for accountability, Janet said:
“With the Scottish First Minister announcing that there will be an inquiry there, following on from commitments made by the Prime Minister, the Welsh Government remains the only government in Great Britain that will not subject itself to such scrutiny. To be playing politics by hiding from the accountability that comes with governance is a shocking dereliction of duty.
“The First Minister and his Cabinet colleagues have made decisions that have had a direct impact on people’s lives in Wales throughout this pandemic. It is only right that there is appropriate, independent and thorough scrutiny of those actions. With the calls from bereaved families in Wales justifiably getting louder and louder, it is only right to call for answers and clarity on the decisions made.
“We need such an independent public inquiry to look at what happened in detail to ensure that decision makers learn lessons for the future, if only to ensure public confidence in our systems and services. The First Minister must waste no more time in convening such an inquiry.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
