Timing of a public inquiry into covid-19
Seven people lost their lives in the train crash at Southall on 19th of September, 1997. Many others were injured.
At Ladbroke Grove, on 5th of October, 1999, there
was a crash in which 31 people lost their lives and many others were injured.
There was a common cause, namely the lack of
protection against trains proceeding through red lights. That meant that there
was a danger which the travelling public faced.
There was great public concern about the extent of
deaths and injuries.
But no-one suggested that we wait until all
possible deaths from unprotected train travel had occurred before holding a
Public Inquiry . Indeed such a later Inquiry then would have had much less
significance since the major cause would have been eliminated
Professor Uff and Lord Cullen worked
separately and then together to make
recommendations as soon as possible –
published in 2001 in Lord Cullen’s case
The need to learn lessons was taken seriously.
Reasons for proceeding with a Public Inquiry into the handling of
Covid now include (1) so that there is opportunity to apply
the lessons as soon as possible (2) to learn lessons before memories dim – Matt
Hancock has already forgotten about running out of PPE last year .
Of course the government doesn't want a Public
Inquiry. They are already facing a National Audit Office report which is quite
scathing in terms of the “associates” contracting for PPE which will have cost
lives; If you procure the wrong product, then somebody doesn't have the right
product, and is at risk of catching covid-19, and in the worst case of dying from
it
The government is wrong to continually postpone the
Public Inquiry and say that lessons can be learned
later but not now.
Start it within a month, please, Prime Minister
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