A public inquiry looking at safety issues around two Scottish hospitals is to examine the issue of water contamination.

Health secretary Jeane Freeman told MSPs the chair of the inquiry would be announced before Christmas, with the final remit and start date expected to be confirmed shortly afterwards.

She also confirmed a “systematic” review of ventilation systems in all critical care wards across Scotland will be undertaken to ensure they meet the required standards.

Ms Freeman appeared before Holyrood’s health & sport committee to answer questions after she ordered a public inquiry at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow and the delayed new Sick Kid’s Hospital in Edinburgh.

An independent review into the QUEH campus is also “well underway”, with a final report expected to be published in early spring.

Details recently emerged of the deaths of two children in 2017 who were treated in a ward at the QEUH which was later closed because of problems with the water supply.

The health secretary said the independent review has already taken evidence on the issue of water contamination and it would be up to whoever leads the public inquiry to seek further evidence.

But she added: “I think it is clear that will be part of both pieces of work.”

She said the process of finalising the chair of the public inquiry was underway, with the aim of confirming the details before parliament goes into recess for Christmas.

“The chair has a significant role in finalising the remit of that inquiry and so we will undertake that finalising work with him or her.

“[We will] then be able to announce the final remit of the inquiry and its start-up date shortly after we are able to tell yourselves and the parliament who will lead the inquiry."

A separate Health and Safety Executive investigation is also looking at the deaths of two patients after they contracted an infection linked to pigeon droppings at QEUH.

Ms Freeman said this report is expected by the end of the year and the outcome – which could include criminal proceedings or a fatal accident inquiry – would influence the start date of the public inquiry.

She said it was not possible to give any details of the timeframe and cost until the final remit was known.

Ms Freeman told MSPs a review of critical care ventilation systems in the most recently built hospitals had been carried out and further work would be undertaken in the long-term to check standards are being met across Scotland.

“We will work proactively with boards in terms of their whole schedule of maintenance and inspection…to ensure we systematically ensure that all those critical care areas are at the standard that is required,” she added.