4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's role in the UK COVID-19 inquiry? OQ58457

Thank you. Welsh Government had a direct role in setting the terms of reference for the UK COVID-19 inquiry. Now the inquiry is formally established, the Welsh Government will be supplying significant evidence to it, to enable action taken in Wales to be properly scrutinised.

Thank you. And the First Minister confirmed in a letter on 15 September that the Welsh Government had asked to be a core contributor to the first module of the consultation. We should have a separate public inquiry for Wales, of course, and my concern is that the Welsh Government sees its role as being a contributor when I want the Welsh Government to be the subject of an inquiry.

I really fear that we won't see the scrutiny of Welsh Government actions, good and bad, that Welsh people deserve. What we have, having refused a Welsh-specific inquiry, we see Ministers themselves commissioning community health councils to gather public opinion on the COVID response. There's the inquiry that Welsh Government has commissioned itself into hospital-acquired infections—pseudo inquiries 'with the Government marking its own homework,' as one campaigner told me. Does the Trefnydd agree with me that there's a very real danger here of Wales falling in between two stools?

No, I don't, and I think the First Minister has made it very clear why he thinks we should be part of the UK-wide inquiry. We've now applied to be a core participant, not just in module 1, but also in module 2. You refer to community health councils—well, I think it's incorrect to imply that community health councils are conducting the survey that they're doing for Welsh Government's benefit. I think that the First Minister has made it very clear and he was very keen to ensure that people across Wales were able to share their experiences with the inquiry, and this is just one vehicle in which to do so. I know that community health councils have been gathering the views and experiences of people across Wales in relation to the pandemic, with the intention of sharing it directly with the COVID-19 inquiry, and obviously, how that information is then treated by the inquiry would be a matter for the chair.

Thank you, Minister, for your initial response there. It is a sad fact, isn't it, that Wales has the highest COVID-19 death rate across the United Kingdom. Regretfully, throughout the pandemic, lives were torn apart and our everyday normal way of living was completely transformed. I'm sure that you'll agree, Minister, here today, when it comes to great power and great decision making, great responsibility and accountability must also take place. It's only right that the actions of the Welsh Government during the pandemic are properly scrutinised and properly communicated to the people of Wales. Despite this, Minister, the COVID-19 bereaved families for justice group recently said, and I quote,

'We know how @WelshGovernment and @PrifWeinidog have turned their backs on us'.

And,

'You have done nothing for bereaved families in Wales. Still no answers, no lessons learned, nothing'.

So, in light of this, Minister, what is the Welsh Government's response to that statement by the COVID-19 bereaved families for justice group, and what action is being taken to ensure that people in Wales get the answers that they, their families, and their friends deserve?

I think you're right in saying that the pandemic absolutely changed the way we all lived; every single one of us was affected by the pandemic. I don't think it's fair to say that no lessons were learned; I think we learned lessons as we went on. Certainly, being a member of the Government, I recognise that we absolutely had the latest scientific advice and medical advice on a daily basis, and the Cabinet met many, many times to discuss the advice. So, I think it's unfair to say that no lessons have been learned, because I think that we did that during the pandemic.

You'll be aware that the First Minister regularly meets with the group. I think he said last week that he'd met just earlier either this month or certainly in August with them again. So, I'm sure that the First Minister will continue to meet with them, as and when required.

Can I also thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for tabling this important question? Of course, the inquiry will expose how effective or not communications were between Governments—the UK Government, Welsh Government and other Governments in the United Kingdom. But, of course, COVID has not gone away; we've not defeated COVID yet. I stand to be corrected by the health Minister, but I believe that right now, 1,000 members of the NHS are off work due to COVID. So, it's just as important now that governments are working together. So, would you agree with me that it's absolutely vital that the new Prime Minister goes above and beyond in communicating with Ministers here and across the United Kingdom to ensure that we can go on combating this terrible disease together?

It is really important that we continue to work together. I think it's very unfortunate that the Prime Minister hasn't picked up the phone to the First Minister. She's really got nothing to be afraid of, he's a very straightforward person to deal with. But, I think you make a really important point around COVID not going away. The figures that I've got are that an average of 10 patients are being admitted to hospital every day with COVID; seven ICU beds are occupied by patients with COVID every day; and, as you mentioned, nearly 1,000 staff are currently off with COVID. So, it's a good time to remind people that if they're called for their next COVID vaccination, please go along and do it. It's the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family.