We come to you with news that progress has been made on the Covid Inquiry, as the Prime Minister has signed the draft Terms of Reference on the 9th of March, 2022. The Terms were made public this week and the public consultation process on the Terms of Reference has begun. This will last for four weeks and will give the public a chance to read the Terms of Reference and to contribute towards what should and shouldn’t be included in them. After the period is over, the Chair will suggest to the Prime Minister what, if any, further amendments are to be made.

What does this mean?

This means that we’re encouraging members of the public to visit the official Inquiry website to have their say, to help decide what the Inquiry should include and to make sure that their concerns are considered. Disappointingly, we have noticed that certain areas that were included in our proposed Terms of Reference have been omitted, including the extent to which the government’s actions undermined their messaging, so it’s more important than ever for people’s voices to be heard on this matter. Director & Head of Major Inquests & Inquiries, Elkan Abrahamson, said:

"I’m pleased to see that the Prime Minister has finally drafted the Terms of Reference for consultation, although he still won’t commit to a setting-up date. We will be participating fully in the meetings with Lady Hallett and encourage others to go to the website and share their suggestions."

What happens next?

As mentioned above, a four-week public consultation is now open allowing the public an opportunity to offer their feedback on the draft Terms of Reference. Views collected during this time will be analysed and Lady Hallett will decide whether any changes to the Terms of Reference will be recommended to the Prime Minister, who will then make the final decision. This feedback can be input directly to the Inquiry website at covid19.public-inquiry.uk

While progress is slower than we would like, we will fight to ensure these mistakes are never repeated. The more feedback obtained from the public expressing your thoughts, concerns and suggestions, the more likely the Terms of Reference will be a reflection of you, the bereaved families at the very heart of this Inquiry.

We’d strongly advise anyone who has suffered a bereavement due to Covid-19 to join the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, as we know that pressure of numbers will be a significant factor in causing the Government to bring the Inquiry forward. Visit our Covid Inquiry FAQ page for answers to some of our commonly asked questions surrounding the Inquiry, next steps, how to instruct legal representation and more.