Update: Inquiry holds first preliminary hearing for fifth investigation: Procurement across the UK

This week will see the Inquiry hold the first preliminary hearing for its investigation into Procurement across the UK (Module 5) on Tuesday 6 February.

The hearing will take place at the Inquiry’s Hearing Centre, Dorland House, London, W2 6BU and begins at 10:30am.

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.

The fifth investigation will consider and make recommendations on 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 Modules 5.

The hearing is open to the public to attend – information on how to attend can be found on the website.

You can watch the preliminary hearings on the Inquiry’s YouTube channel, subject to a three minute delay.

We will publish a transcript of the hearing on the same day it concludes. A recording of the hearing will be published on the Inquiry’s website at a later date. Alternative formats, including a Welsh language translation, are available on request.