Today the UK Covid-19 Inquiry opens its fifth investigation: Procurement across the UK (Module 5). Public hearings are planned for early 2025.
Module 5 will investigate the procurement and distribution across the United Kingdom of key healthcare related equipment and supplies, including PPE, ventilators and oxygen. It will also consider the UK-wide procurement of lateral flow tests and PCR tests. More details are included in the provisional scope for Module 5.
The Core Participant application window will be open from 24 October 2023 to 17 November 2023.
A Core Participant is an individual, organisation or institution that has a specific interest in the work of the Inquiry.
Core Participants can access evidence relevant to this investigation, make opening and closing statements at Inquiry hearings and suggest lines of questioning.
The Inquiry is aiming to hold preliminary hearings for Module 5 in early 2024.
The hearings will take place at the Inquiry’s Hearing Centre, Dorland House, London. All hearings are open to the public to attend – information on how to attend can be found on the website.
At preliminary hearings, the Inquiry Chair makes decisions about how investigations will run. The Inquiry does not hear evidence at these hearings. There will be submissions from the Counsel to the Inquiry and Core Participants to help prepare for the public hearings, where evidence is heard.
A full list of planned hearings dates so far is available on the website.