'Kangaroo court' claim as Senedd disbands Covid-19 committee

A “KANGAROO court” on the Covid-19 pandemic will be formally disbanded after members quit, but another Senedd committee will take over rather than a judge-led Wales-specific inquiry.

- CHRIS HAINES

At least 13,000 people died in Wales during the pandemic, but, more than five years later, Senedd scrutiny of the decisions made in Cardiff Bay has stalled - if it ever got going.

Elin Jones, the Senedd’s speaker announced the end of the “Wales Covid-19 inquiry special purpose committee”, which was set up to look at gaps in the UK inquiry.

In March, Tom Giffard, its co-chair, and his Conservative colleague Sam Rowlands quit the committee after Labour blocked calls for witnesses to swear an oath.

He said he had no confidence in the committee, saying he would no longer associate himself with a process “seemingly designed to protect those it is supposed to hold to account”.

The Welsh Government refused to set up a judge-led Wales-specific inquiry in the wake of the pandemic as in Scotland, where a public inquiry was established to learn lessons.

Ms Jones announced the committee would be dissolved in the autumn after months of wrangling behind closed doors, with the Senedd’s public accounts committee picking up the baton.

In a statement on Wednesday, she said: “Due to the breakdown of the co-chair model that was adopted, it hasn’t been possible for the committee to proceed with its work.

“It’s been evident through discussions that a different model will be required to move forward with the committee’s scrutiny of this vital work.”