Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 15 November 2022.

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Photo of Andrew RT Davies Andrew RT Davies Conservative 1:46, 15 November 2022

The question I put to you, First Minister, was: could you name another organisation that shared your belief that we shouldn't have an independent public inquiry into COVID here in Wales? I notice from your answer that you weren't able to put another organisation's name on the Record of the Senedd. And, please, take as long as you want, because I'm sure that the public will show great interest in your responses today. When I did raise this with you some weeks ago, you said, 'There is the impotency of opposition, and here is the potency of Government'. The potency of Government, in this case, is stopping an independent inquiry.

We will, in a couple of weeks' time, lay a motion in the Senedd to bring forward a Senedd committee to actually have an inquiry on this particular matter. Whether the Senedd votes for it or not, that is a matter of democratic accountability here in the Chamber, but that's what the opposition can do. Will you lift the whip on your backbenchers to support such a motion, because, certainly, when I'm speaking to colleagues from your side as well as the other end of the M4—Chris Evans, for example, from Islwyn—they want to see that independent inquiry because they believe it is the right thing to do, and it is only through your obstinance that we're not getting that inquiry here in Wales? So, let's see how the votes stack up here, and let's see whether you need to whip your Members to support the blocking of a COVID public inquiry here in Wales.