THE LEADER of the Wokingham Liberal Democrat group has welcomed an inquiry into the handling of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, May 12, the prime minister confirmed a full inquiry will take place next spring.
He told MPs the delay was necessary to avoid putting too much stress on the NHS, advisers and government while there was the risk of a winter surge later this year.
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The terms of reference for the inquiry will be worked out with the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over the coming year.
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, leader of the Wokingham group, said: “Now that hopefully we are coming to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important that we all learn from what happened over the period from March 2020 to now and until things get back to a new normal.
“At least we now have a timescale by when an inquiry should take place.
“It is important to learn lessons for the future and allow families of those impacted by the pandemic to grieve or to hear and understand what happened during the various stages of the outbreak.”
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Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health at the borough council said: “The government has committed to a national inquiry into Covid-19 and the overall response.
“While we support an inquiry in principle we have some concern that the full resources of the government should be directed towards the vaccination programme and the economic recovery and we hope this does not become a distraction.”
He said the council is happy to play any part required in the inquiry and will support the process.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the inquiry was coming 13 months after the party first called for it in April last year.
