On Thursday 10 March, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry launched a public consultation regarding the terms of reference that will establish the parameters for the Inquiry’s forthcoming work.   The consultation will conclude on Thursday 7 April.

The draft terms of reference set out two key objectives for the Inquiry: (1) examining the Covid-19 response and the impact of the pandemic in the UK, including producing a factual narrative account; and (2) identifying lessons to be learned, to inform the UK’s preparedness for future pandemics.  Notably, the draft terms of reference proposed by the Prime Minister do not expressly ask the Inquiry to ascribe blame for any aspects of the UK Government response that may be found to have been deficient.  In this respect, the draft terms of reference are very similar to those already adopted for the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, which also focus on establishing facts and lessons for the future.

As expected, the draft terms of reference envisage that the Inquiry should address all aspects of the health and social care response, ranging from the procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment, to the development and delivery of therapeutics and vaccines, and the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as lockdowns and social distancing.  In addition, if the draft terms were to be adopted in their current form, the Inquiry also will consider a broader range of issues, including the consequences of the pandemic for other public services (such as the justice system and schools), and the economic response to the pandemic and its impact.

The consultation is seeking views on: (1) whether the draft terms of reference cover all areas that should be addressed by the Inquiry; (2) any issues that the Inquiry ought to consider prioritising first; (3) whether the Inquiry should set a planned end-date for public hearings, to ensure timely publication of findings and recommendations; and (4) the design of the Inquiry, to ensure that the bereaved and others who have suffered harm or hardship have their voices heard.  Alongside this online consultation, the Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Hallett, announced in a public letter that she intends to visit towns and cities around the country “to gather the views of bereaved families, community and support groups, and other organisations”.

It is unclear when the final terms of reference will be agreed by the Prime Minister, but the consultation paper states that “[t]his will be done as quickly as possible, to allow the Inquiry to begin its work.”  Baroness Hallett has already indicated that she expects the Inquiry to gather evidence throughout this year, with the hope of beginning public hearings in 2023.

In view of the draft terms of reference and the proposed timeline, it is reasonable for businesses that had a significant role in the UK’s response to the pandemic — including those companies that were major suppliers to the UK Government or National Health Service — to expect to receive requests from the Inquiry.  For example, the press and public interest lawyers have already been focused on procurement practices, including the use of so-called “VIP lanes” to expedite decision-making for some prospective suppliers.  Under the Inquiries Act 2005, Baroness Hallett will have the power to compel the giving of evidence, including in the form of a written statement, and to require production of documents relating to the subject-matter of the Inquiry.

Covington’s UK Parliamentary and Public Inquiries team is closely monitoring developments relating to the Covid-19 Inquiry, and intends to provide further updates when the terms of reference are finalised and the Inquiry begins collecting evidence.

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Photo of Ian Redfearn Ian Redfearn

Ian Redfearn is special counsel in the dispute resolution group of the London office. He advises clients on their most complex and high-profile arbitrations, litigations, and investigations, and he also counsels clients on how to navigate global compliance challenges. He has worked for…

Ian Redfearn is special counsel in the dispute resolution group of the London office. He advises clients on their most complex and high-profile arbitrations, litigations, and investigations, and he also counsels clients on how to navigate global compliance challenges. He has worked for clients across many sectors, and he has significant international experience, including matters in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Photo of Greg Lascelles Greg Lascelles

Greg Lascelles advises clients in high-stakes matters with significant financial or reputational risk. His broad-based practice covers complex international commercial litigation, arbitration, regulatory investigations and Parliament Select Committee hearings.

He acts for major corporates, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and individuals, with a broad range…

Greg Lascelles advises clients in high-stakes matters with significant financial or reputational risk. His broad-based practice covers complex international commercial litigation, arbitration, regulatory investigations and Parliament Select Committee hearings.

He acts for major corporates, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and individuals, with a broad range of experience across financial services, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, construction, music, sport, real estate, and consumer goods. His cases involve disputes relating to interpretation, M&A disputes (warranties, indemnities and earn-outs), bonus and remuneration, Companies Act matters, shareholder disputes, data litigation, securities litigation (misselling, mismanagement and close-outs) and disputes involving serious issues of fraud. He has been involved in groundbreaking High Court and FCA disputes relating to, among other things, market abuse and collective selling, as well as in the Supreme Court on the interpretation of standard contractual clauses. Greg’s regulatory matters (including at the FCA, FRC, SFO and Insolvency Service) relate to market abuse and financial statement reporting. As well as regular advice to clients on contract drafting and risk avoidance, he has recently been advising on developments in FDI and national security legislation.

Greg’s recent High Court cases have been listed in The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of the year in 2019 and 2020 and he is currently advising on one of the most significantly complex corporate investigations the FCA has conducted and one of the largest director disqualification cases to have been brought by the Secretary of State. Greg’s pro bono work includes representing a child imprisonment campaigning charity in references to the Supreme Court and ECHR, and Freedom of Information Act requests for other groups. He can and does advise clients in English, French and Spanish.

Photo of Thomas Reilly Thomas Reilly

Ambassador Thomas Reilly, Covington’s Head of UK Public Policy and a key member of the firm’s Global Problem Solving Group and Brexit Task Force, draws on over 20 years of diplomatic and commercial roles to advise clients on their strategic business objectives.

Ambassador…

Ambassador Thomas Reilly, Covington’s Head of UK Public Policy and a key member of the firm’s Global Problem Solving Group and Brexit Task Force, draws on over 20 years of diplomatic and commercial roles to advise clients on their strategic business objectives.

Ambassador Reilly was most recently British Ambassador to Morocco between 2017 and 2020, and prior to this, the Senior Advisor on International Government Relations & Regulatory Affairs and Head of Government Relations at Royal Dutch Shell between 2012 and 2017. His former roles with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office included British Ambassador Morocco & Mauritania (2017-2018), Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Egypt (2010-2012), Deputy Head of the Climate Change & Energy Department (2007-2009), and Deputy Head of the Counter Terrorism Department (2005-2007). He has lived or worked in a number of countries including Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Argentina.

At Covington, Ambassador Reilly works closely with our global team of lawyers and investigators as well as over 100 former diplomats and senior government officials, with significant depth of experience in dealing with the types of complex problems that involve both legal and governmental institutions.

Ambassador Reilly started his career as a solicitor specialising in EU and commercial law but no longer practices as a solicitor.