A proposal to create a special purpose Senedd committee to investigate failings in Wales’ Covid response has been rejected. The Welsh Tories and Plaid Cymru co-submitted a motion to establish the committee which was debated in the Senedd on Wednesday, November 30, and a vote was held.
The vote was tied, with 27 votes in favour and 27 against, so the Llywydd was required to cast the deciding vote. She voted against the motion and so it was not agreed.
In the debate First Minister Mark Drakeford said he believed the best way that questions bereaved families had should be answered and scrutinised was through the ongoing UK Covid-19 inquiry. "That is the body that will be able to scrutinise those decisions made by the Welsh Government and other Welsh bodies, which drew on the relationships between decisions made in Wales and Whitehall," he said.
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He added later on that the Welsh Government will consider establishing a Senedd committee after the UK Covid inquiry has concluded its investigation. He said: "Let me address today's motion directly. It suggests that the Senedd committee should consider aspects of a Covid experience in Wales which might not receive sufficient attention by the Hallett inquiry. And let me be clear that if that concern materialises then the motion's central proposal, a special purpose committee, is one that the government can and will support."
In response Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: "As the Scottish Government has highlighted it is possible to run a Scottish-specific inquiry in parallel with the UK-wide inquiry...we do need a separate inquiry route. And in this case the motion seeks permission for the Welsh Parliament to form that special purpose vehicle. Surely that's what we should be doing as parliamentarians – looking at the most momentous decision, as other speakers have touched on, that has ever been taken by a Welsh Government and Welsh civic society?" He continued: "If we as parliamentarians cannot form a committee to look at these issues and report in a timely manner before the 2026 election then what is the point of having a Welsh parliament?"
Following the debate and vote Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said the decision "will leave bereaved families extremely disappointed" and added: "This decision will also leave Welsh democracy weaker. If you support powers being held in the Senedd in Wales then you should support scrutiny being carried out into the use of those powers."
Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for health and care, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, said: "Decisions made in Wales should be scrutinised in Wales. Welsh Government have proved tonight that they are just kicking the can down the road, prolonging the time that Covid-bereaved families are left waiting for answers. This is the first we’ve heard of the government’s own motion for a special purpose committee. Whilst we’ll accept any element of scrutiny on the decisions made by the Welsh Government in Wales this won’t allay fears that Welsh Government are delaying matters even further.”
Welsh Conservative shadow health Minister Russell George added: "We have always maintained that a Wales-specific Covid inquiry is the best way to scrutinise ministers on their decision-making without being overshadowed by events in England but if they were to continue blocking one maybe they would, at least, agree to this committee that fills the gaps the UK-wide inquiry would inevitably leave."
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