Covid inquiry will take years

THE UK is to hold an inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic as from spring 2022 (“Public inquiry into the UK’S coronavirus response will start in spring 2022”, The Herald, May 13). This is to be welcomed. Or is it? It is worth considering recent past major inquiries, for example, Edinburgh trams, Grenfell Tower fire, current English and Scottish child abuse proceedings, and the Iraq Chilcot inquiry as reference pointers.

Beginning in spring 2022, there will be at least one year to establish a chair and a panel to oversee the process. The terms of reference will be interesting as to whether there is one UK inquiry, or are there to be four with each devolved nation having concurrent processes?

At least two years of evidence and witness participation will follow, taking us to 2025. A further year will follow to consider all the above and again a further year prior to issuing any report into the public domain. We are now in 2027 with a fair wind and assuming no major health or economic disruptions over the next six years.

Probable costs will be somewhere between £50-£100 million.

Nobody will be removed from any post. Nobody will go to jail. Presumably “lessons will be learned”? The legal profession will do exceedingly well from all above. Am I missing something?

Robert Wolfenden, Biggar.