A judge-led inquiry into the Scottish government’s handling of the covid-19 pandemic will begin by the end of the year, Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced today.

The inquiry will be separate from any wider UK arrangements including all four nations.

Draft aims set out by ministers and published today confirm the inquiry should look at care home deaths, which have been ‘causing public concern’, as well as other direct health effects.

Other areas of focus are ministers’ handling of the economy, indirect health effects and the impact on education.

Members of the public are being asked to give their thoughts on the proposed approach by the end of September.

Speaking earlier, Nicola Sturgeon said: “People will judge the public inquiry as it progresses, and it will be entirely down to the judge appointed to lead it as to how it goes about its business.

“But as the leader of the government over the past 18 months, and I mean this really strongly – I desperately want every appropriate lesson from what we have gone through to be learnt, so that any future government, hopefully not for decades to come, but any future government that is in a similar situation has the benefit of that learning.”

News of the inquiry comes after a government assessment of its own handling of the pandemic listed a string of concerns on care homes.

Ministers presided over a ‘search for blame’ on deaths in care homes, the document admitted, and the civil service lacked detailed understanding of the social care sector.

The CEO of the charity Age Scotland, Brian Sloan, welcomed the announcement and called for access to healthcare and issues with social care to be investigated by the inquiry.

He said: “There are still many unanswered questions over why certain decisions were taken, and how their rights may have been impacted as a result - from the inappropriate application of DNAR orders and access to fair and equal medical treatment to the longer-term effects of lockdown restrictions on health and wellbeing.

“Getting answers is crucial, especially for the families and loved ones of the those who have sadly lost their lives.

“We’ve also spoken in the past about how the impact of covid-19 on care homes, and social care more generally, must play a key role in investigation into Scotland’s handling of the pandemic. The virus has taken a heavy toll on residents, their families, and staff, and we are glad to see this mentioned as an area of particular focus."

Deputy First Minister and Covid Recovery Secretary John Swinney said: “The publication of this aims and principles paper, as one of our 100 days commitments, is an important step towards the establishment of that inquiry.”

He added: “Discussions are also ongoing with the UK government on the planned four nations inquiry, to ensure all areas that need to be considered are covered in a way that gives confidence to bereaved families and others.”

Read more: Lack of home care deaths investigations ‘unjust’; Double standards claim over NHS & care home deaths; Dismay at further delay to covid inquiry

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