A top Scots judge has been appointed as the new chairman of a public inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lord Brailsford will take charge after its previous chair, Lady Poole, quit for personal reasons at the beginning of the month.
Her resignation was followed by a walk-out of several senior legal advisors before the inquiry could hold its first public hearing.
It prompted a group of families who lost loved ones to covid to brand the process a "sinking ship".
John Swinney today told MSPs it would be up to Lord Brailsford to appoint new panel members as he saw fit.
The Deputy First Minister also confirmed an amendment will be made to the inquiry’s terms of reference to ensure it took a "human rights-based approach".
Swinney said: "The Scottish Government wants the Scottish Covid inquiry to be delivered at speed and to address the range of questions that people have – the bereaved, in particular – so that we can learn lessons and benefit from them as early as possible.
"That is why arrangements for identifying a new judicial Chair for the Inquiry have been taken forward urgently to ensure a swift and successful transition.
"From my own and the First Minister’s interactions with Lord Brailsford, I am in no doubt that he has the necessary leadership skills, integrity and experience to continue the work of this Inquiry.
"I am grateful to Lady Poole for the important work she has undertaken since the establishment of this Inquiry. I thank Lady Poole for her work and wish her well."
Lord Brailsford said: "The pandemic impacted everyone across the country to some degree. There is barely a family, business or organisation that wasn’t affected in some way.
"This Inquiry seeks to find out whether anything could or even should have be done differently and what lessons can be learned for the future.
"The public are rightly looking for answers and no more so than the loved ones of the nearly 16,000 people in Scotland who died during this pandemic.
"I am immensely aware of the enormous responsibility this places on me and the Inquiry.
"I promise the families, that along with the Inquiry team, I will work independently to establish the facts and ensure the Inquiry thoroughly examines the decisions taken throughout the pandemic."
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