Following the recent revelation that the Labour Welsh Government were late producing a full disclosure to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called for a Welsh Government Oral Statement or Debate on the concerning situation.
The Welsh Government did not disclose all relevant documents to the Inquiry in the first draft of their witness statement, which meant that they had to be asked a second time by the Inquiry to produce a full disclosure. This is very concerning for Covid-19 bereaved Welsh families.
In yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, during the Business Statement, Mr Isherwood emphasised the consequences of the delays and called for an Oral Statement or Debate on the matter.
He said:
“I call for a Welsh Government Oral Statement or Debate on the delayed and late disclosure from Welsh Government in the UK COVID-19 inquiry. Now, I heard the First Minister responding to the Leader of the Opposition, and the leader of Plaid Cymru, earlier on this, but transparency and accountability demand full Senedd scrutiny.
“Following last Tuesday's third preliminary hearing for Module 1 of the UK Covid-19 inquiry, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru stated that ‘delayed disclosure will limit their time to review and question the statements and evidence submitted on behalf of the Welsh Government’, and that, ‘despite assurance from the First Minister, Welsh Government failed to request Welsh expertise at the hearing’. And in the transcript from last week's hearing, the barrister representing Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru stated that ‘the Welsh Government's failure to prepare for the Covid-19 pandemic had catastrophic consequences’, and that ‘it is vitally important that the full extent of these failures are publicly exposed and identified so that all necessary lessons can be learnt, and this must happen sooner rather than later’. Yet, she said that, ‘as at today's date, not a single witness statement has been disclosed from a Welsh-related witness of fact or from the Welsh Government’. I call for a Welsh Government debate accordingly.” ,
Responding, the Trefnydd, Lesley Griffith MS, refused Mr Isherwood’s request, stating: “I think the First Minister perfectly explained the position of the Welsh Government, and I don't think there's any need for a further debate”.