The official inquiry into the Covid pandemic is the largest investigation of its kind in British history, considering the magnitude of the situation with a death toll of 226,000 in the UK. The language used to announce the inquiry has been appropriately strong, recognizing the importance of examining actions and learning from them. Baroness Hallett, the former High Court judge appointed to lead the inquiry, demonstrated the same determination by acknowledging the desire of those who have suffered to understand if more could have been done.
However, almost a year later, before the proceedings have even begun, the noble intentions of the inquiry are being overshadowed by procedural disputes. This week, there was a clash between Baroness Hallett and the Cabinet Office regarding access to Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApp messages. The disagreement has now been escalated to the courts, leaving grieving families frustrated and wanting answers instead of stand-offs. This sets a worrying tone for an inquiry that is expected to stretch on until 2027, accompanied by substantial costs.
An analysis by Tussell, a firm monitoring government outsourcing, revealed that the 37 contracts associated with the Hallett Inquiry have already cost £113 million. Additionally, the inquiry team has hired 62 barristers, leading to substantial legal costs. Unfortunately, public inquiries often turn into lucrative opportunities for lawyers without the motivation to work efficiently.
The Bloody Sunday inquiry and the inquiry into historic child sexual abuse in British institutions are examples of this trend. The Bloody Sunday inquiry took 12 years to reach conclusions and cost £200 million. One lawyer involved in the inquiry was paid nearly £4.5 million. Similarly, the child sexual abuse inquiry had multiple leadership changes, costing £187 million, but produced little impact due to the government’s failure to act on its recommendations.
Despite the drawbacks, politicians are inclined to establish more inquiries. The demand for a “full public inquiry” by opposition parties allows them to appear responsible and criticize the government without proposing new policies. For ministers, inquiries spread blame and contentious issues into the distant future, helping deflect criticism. Consequently, there has been a significant increase in the number of inquiries over the past three decades.
However, this trend poses risks, including the growing influence of unelected judiciary and potential weakness in our democracy. Politicians should be held accountable through elections, rather than leaving the oversight of the political process to lawyers and quasi-judicial advisers. Moreover, there is no guarantee that public inquiries lead to better policies or satisfactory conclusions. The Hutton and Chilcot inquiries, for example, were subject to criticism, with the former labeled a “whitewash.”
To be effective, public inquiries should be focused, swift, and concise in their recommendations. Lord Justice Taylor’s report on the Hillsborough disaster exemplifies good practice, as it was issued within four months of the event, leading to significant improvements in safety standards. The Mid-Staffordshire healthcare scandal and Dr. Harold Shipman inquiries were also distinguished by their clarity and impact.
In contrast, Baroness Hallett’s inquiry seems to be off to a troubled start. There are concerns that it may not even address the fundamental question of Covid-19’s origin. A global inquiry into the origins of the virus would be more valuable than any report produced by the Hallett Inquiry. However, Western authorities have been hesitant to challenge China’s narrative, despite mounting evidence of a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
In conclusion, the official inquiry into the Covid pandemic in the UK is facing challenges before it even begins, raising doubts about its effectiveness and ability to provide meaningful answers. The increasing number of public inquiries has led to significant costs and potential weaknesses in our democratic process. It is crucial to have focused and efficient inquiries that lead to actionable recommendations. Additionally, a global inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 would be more valuable than individual country-level investigations.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
