New calls for Welsh pandemic inquiry

WELSH politicians have renewed calls for an independent inquiry into the devolved government over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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It comes after the publication of Baroness Heather Hallett's report on the UK Covid Inquiry, which found all four governments across the UK failed to appreciate the level of risk faced when the pandemic hit.

The report stated that, from August to December 2020, Wales had the highest age-standardised mortality rate of the four nations.

Lady Hallett suggested a combination of failed local restrictions, a firebreak that was too late and the decision to relax measures too quickly all contributed to these deaths.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, and Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, called for a Wales-only inquiry to look more closely at decisions taken by the Welsh Government.

Mr Millar said: "The fact of the matter is that the focus of the inquiry is very much on the UK Government and there, in my view, needs to have been more focus on many of those decisions which were taken here.

"We still believe, fundamentally, that there are many lessons to learn and that the Welsh Government absolutely needs to be held to account for the different decisions that it took at different times during the course of the pandemic, some of which, regrettably, led to a greater loss of life.