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The public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic has judged the Welsh government’s initial handling of the crisis as “inadequate,” criticizing ministers in Cardiff for leaning too heavily on the UK government to direct the response. The report, which examines how all four UK governments responded to the pandemic, highlights that more than 12,000 people died in Wales from 2020 through August 2024 due to the virus. Eluned Morgan, speaking on behalf of the Welsh government, affirmed their dedication to learning from the pandemic and stated they would carefully review the findings and collaborate with the other UK administrations to address the recommendations over the coming months.
Evidence compiled during the inquiry included testimony from key Welsh witnesses when the inquiry convened in Cardiff the previous year. The report concludes that the UK’s collective response was characterized by repeated delays and insufficient actions, ultimately making the first national lockdown inevitable. In particular, Welsh ministers’ decisions during late 2020, amid the second Covid wave, are identified as likely contributing to Wales having the highest mortality rate in the UK at the time. The inquiry points to a combination of late-imposed local restrictions, delayed introduction of a two-week firebreak lockdown, and a quicker relaxation of measures than scientific advice recommended as probable factors. Despite these criticisms, the report also acknowledges that the Welsh cabinet, under then-First Minister Mark Drakeford, demonstrated effectiveness in decision-making overall.
A significant detail of the UK’s pandemic management was its operation under public health legislation rather than the Civil Contingencies Act, which allocated decision-making power to the devolved governments instead of Westminster. The inquiry labeled the lack of urgency displayed by all four UK governments in the early months of 2020 as “inexplicable.” While the Welsh government expected the UK government to steer the response initially, the report argues that this did not excuse Welsh ministers from recognizing the severe threat early on and taking independent preparatory steps. It criticizes Drakeford and then-Health Secretary Vaughan Gething for overly relying on UK government risk assessments without adequately addressing the specific Welsh context. Furthermore, the report highlights an absence of any concrete strategy from the Welsh government in January and February 2020, and notes that Drakeford attended St David’s Day events in Brussels instead of a Welsh cabinet meeting shortly after the first Covid case was confirmed in Wales.
Throughout the pandemic, Wales frequently adopted Covid restrictions that differed from those of other UK nations, which the inquiry found led to public confusion. While Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland tended to take a more cautious approach to easing restrictions, this was sometimes undermined by contradictory UK government policies. Notably, Wales was the last part of the UK to require face coverings in shops and supermarkets. The report recommends that in future airborne disease outbreaks, all governments should seriously consider mandating face coverings in enclosed spaces. The inquiry also commended the Welsh cabinet’s consensus-driven decision-making and praised Mark Drakeford’s leadership style as careful and collaborative, contrasting it with what it described as a “toxic and chaotic culture” at the heart of the UK government. The report emphasizes that political disagreements should not interfere with emergency decision-making and calls for better communication structures between the four nations during crises to improve policy alignment and clarity.
Public Health Wales welcomed the inquiry’s findings and expressed its intention to study the recommendations thoroughly, pledging to continue learning from the pandemic experience. In contrast, James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, urged for more investigation and a distinct Wales-specific independent inquiry. Evans noted that despite Wales experiencing the highest death rate in the UK, the Welsh Labour Government imposed stricter lockdowns and imposed more school closures than other regions. He stressed the importance of learning from these mistakes moving forward
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