Bereaved families ‘not barred’ from Covid inquiry, says chairman

THE chairman of the Covid inquiry has rejected claims bereaved families have been “barred” from giving evidence as she promised they will be “at the heart” of the proceedings.

Baroness Hallett was responding to reports that families have been banned from submitting individual testimonies and “marginalised” from the official public inquiry.

Families will instead be encouraged to submit pen portraits to a “Listening Exercise”, intended to be a less formal setting that will allow everyone who wishes to do so to contribute. However, representatives for the Covid Bereaved Families for Justice (CBFJ) said they were “sceptical” of Lady Hallett’s assurances. In her opening statement, Lady Hallett said: “I have taken no decisions as yet on the witnesses to be called so no-one has been barred from giving evidence.”

Pete Weatherby KC, representing the CBFJ, told the preliminary hearing in London yesterday that the proposed exercise “outsources” the examination of the families’ loss and “marginalises” their voices.

Lady Hallett rejected the claim and said she wanted to “put the record straight”. She added: “There is absolutely no question that the bereaved will be marginalised and I really don’t want to hear that expression again.”

Responding to Lady Hallett’s comments after the inquiry, Matt Fowler, co-founder of the CBFJ, said he was sceptical about the claims and believed there was “clearly a risk” of a conflict of interest.

However, a spokesman for the inquiry said it had “robust processes

to deal with any conflicts of interest”. ♦lawyers have resigned en masse from Scotland’s Covid inquiry it emerged yesterday, a day after it was confirmed that Lady Poole, its chairman, quit. Douglas Ross KC and three junior counsel tendered resignations last Thursday.