Covid inquiry's public hearings to begin in 2023

The inquiry into the UK government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic will not hold public hearings until 2023, its chair has said.

Baroness Hallett said her team would gather evidence throughout this year and she would try to deliver recommendations "as soon as possible".

More than 162,000 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid case across the UK since the pandemic began.

The inquiry, which is due to begin in spring, will look at preparedness for the pandemic, as well as the health, care and economic response.

In an open letter Baroness Hallett, a former High Court judge, said that once it had officially begun there would be a chance for people to share their experiences of the pandemic.

She said: "I will do everything in my power to deliver recommendations as soon as possible, to ensure that in any future pandemic, the suffering and hardship many of you have experienced is reduced or prevented."

Baroness Hallett has launched a consultation on the draft terms of reference of the inquiry, running until 7 April, which will set out the scope of its investigation.

She said her team would be visiting towns and cities across the four nations of the UK to gather the views of bereaved families, community and support groups.

Baroness Hallett pledged to run "an independent, thorough and open inquiry" and said that the pandemic had had an "unprecedented impact on everyone" in the UK.

Under the current draft terms of reference, the inquiry aims to produce "a factual, narrative account" covering decision-making at all levels of government and the response of the health and care sector as well as identifying the "lessons to be learned".

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group welcomed the publication of the terms of reference as a "huge step forward" and said it looked forward to contributing to the consultation on the terms.

Several reports have already put the UK government's handling of the pandemic under the spotlight.

Meanwhile, spending watchdog the National Audit Office found ministers were not properly prepared for a pandemic like Covid-19 and lacked detailed plans on shielding, job support schemes and school disruption.

The government said the unprecedented pandemic had challenged health systems around the world - not just the UK.