The Covid Inquiry Podcast

Baroness Hallett delivers her report on the rollout of Covid vaccines. Jim Reed reports.

Baroness Hallett delivers the third of the Inquiry's reports, this one covering the impact on the NHS of the pandemic. She concludes that healthcare systems in the UK only just survived and the impact on staff and patients was devastating. Jim Reed reports.

The public hearings in the Covid Inquiry finish with an exploration of the the impact of the pandemic on a range of areas - from mental health services to homelessness. In sometimes distressing testimony, families who lost loved ones explain the impact of not being able to hold full funerals or wakes for them. Jim Reed reports. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode,...

The Covid Inquiry hears evidence from Rishi Sunak. The former prime minister served as chancellor during the height of the pandemic and was behind measures such as furlough. He told the Inquiry the government's support for self-employed workers was "imperfectly targeted" but "generous". Ben King reports.

The Covid Inquiry takes evidence on how the Treasury responded to the start of the pandemic and the imposition of lockdown. One of the key witnesses giving evidence was Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey. Theo Leggett reports.

The Covid Inquiry hears how - as covid infections spread rapidly across the country - the Government designed a furlough scheme and intervened to support businesses. With evidence from Dr Tim Leunig, described as the economic architect of furlough, and former ministers in the Scottish and Welsh governments. Theo Leggett reports.

The Covid Inquiry begins a new module looking at the impact of the pandemic on the UK economy. In its first week of evidence the Inquiry hears about the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) - more commonly known as furlough - and how it operated. Theo Leggett reports.

Baroness Hallett, Chair of the Inquiry, delivers her second report into the way the four governments of the UK responded to the pandemic. Summarising her conclusions as 'too little, too late', she outlines a failure by each government "to appreciate the scale of the threat or the urgency of the response it demanded". Jim Reed reports.

The Covid Inquiry takes its final week of evidence into how the pandemic affected children and young people. Among those appearing at the Inquiry are former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chief Medical Officer for England Sir Chris Whitty, and former Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford. Vanessa Clarke reports.

The Covid Inquiry takes evidence on how and when decisions were taken to close schools during the pandemic. Gavin Williamson, then England's Education Secretary, describes how his department interacted with Number 10. This episode contains some strong language. Vanessa Clarke reports.

The Covid Inquiry takes a second week of evidence on how children and young people were affected by the pandemic. This week, Alison Morton from the Institute of Health Visiting describes the impact of stopping home visits to new parents, and how staff were redeployed. There is also evidence from Chief Nursing Officer for England Duncan Burton, Scottish First Minister John Swinney, and representati...

The Covid Inquiry takes evidence in a new module studying the impact of the pandemic on children. Among those appearing this week was the former Children’s Commissioner Baroness Anne Longfield. Vanessa Clarke reports.

The Covid Inquiry reaches its last week of evidence on the impact of the pandemic on adult social care. Lady Justice Hallett hears from members of the disabled community who reflect on what it was like as visitation rules were tightened and – in some cases - PPE was not available. Families of those who died during the pandemic describe the distressing moments of saying goodbye over a mobile phone....

In its penultimate week looking at social care, the Covid Inquiry hears from the former health ministers of Northern Ireland and Scotland, examining the decision made in the early part of the pandemic to release hospital patients back into care homes. The Inquiry also hears from former senior civil servant Alasdair Donaldson, who describes “complete chaos” in the Department of Health and Social Ca...

The Covid Inquiry continues to hear evidence about how social care settings were affected during the pandemic. This week former social care minister Helen Whately describes her concerns around visiting policies in place at the time, as well as the controversial decision to release individuals from hospitals into care homes. The Inquiry also hears from Sir Sajid Javid, former Health Secretary, on m...

The Covid Inquiry continues taking evidence on how Covid 19 spread in care homes, examining the decision-making around rapid release of elderly patients from hospital in March 2020. Evidence is taken from Dame Jenny Harries, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Mary Cridge, Director of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission and Christina McAnea, General Secretary of the trade...

In the first week of a new module looking at social care during the pandemic, the Covid Inquiry takes evidence from care home workers and the families of some of those who died. One of the main witnesses, giving evidence for the final time, is former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who answers criticism of his use of the phrase 'protective ring' when describing how care homes were treated. Divya Ta...

In the final week of this part of the Inquiry we hear testimony from scientists involved in test and trace and public health officials running contact tracing on the ground.

The inquiry hears more about test and trace & whether the UK is prepared for another pandemic. With evidence from former health secretary Matt Hancock, former chief scientific advisor Lord Patrick Vallance and former First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford. Jim Reed reports.

The Covid Inquiry begins looking at the £30 billion pounds spent on the Government's efforts to test, trace and isolate those who tested positive during the pandemic. With evidence from Sir Paul Nurse, from the Francis Crick Institute, Professor Naomi Fulop from UCL and Professor Alan McNally from the University of Birmingham. Jim Reed reports.

In the final week of the module on procurement, the Inquiry hears from those trying to ensure that Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland had enough PPE, and why they didn't use high priority lanes, as England did. Jim Reed reports.

The Covid Inquiry holds its first private session behind closed doors as it takes evidence about the company PPE Medpro – linked to Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband. In the open hearings, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock describes how he and others in the Department tried to secure enough PPE for the NHS. Jim Reed reports.

The Covid Inquiry takes evidence on how some offers of PPE were placed in a higher priority route, and the role politicians and government officials played in procurement. One of the main witnesses is Michael Gove, Minister for the Cabinet Office at the time, who argues that much of the newspaper commentary around the 'so-called PPE scandal' was 'politically motivated bilge'. Jim Reed reports.

The Covid Inquiry begins its fifth module, looking at how the government bought medical supplies like PPE and ventilators during the pandemic. In this first week of evidence the Inquiry hears about the creation of a so-called 'VIP' lane for some companies. Jim Reed reports.

In the final week examining the rollout of vaccines, the Covid Inquiry hears about how those in government attracted manufacturers to the UK, and whether the country has prepared enough for a future pandemic. With evidence from former minister and now Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, Dame Emily Lawson who led the initial vaccine rollout, and Dr Clive Dix, Deputy Chair of the Vaccine Task Fo...