Press Statements following meeting on the 12th October with the Deputy First Minister- John Swinney from the delegation of members from Scottish Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Group and their solicitors Aamer Anwar.
Aamer Anwar- Solicitor-
The families welcomed the meeting with the Deputy First Minister today. They believe Mr. Swinney is a man of integrity who has always treated them with respect and accepted his assurances that there was no political interference in the inquiry.
However, the families told him in no uncertain terms that the Scottish Inquiry has stalled and betrayed the promises to keep them front and centre.
The bereaved families will not be party to a box ticking exercise and hope a judge with a reputation for fairness, robustness, independence and compassion will be selected to deliver truth and accountability. The family for the last several months feel that they have been on a sinking ship. Only today they were advised by Mr Swinney that there are 66 staff working in the public inquiry yet the families to date have no idea what progress they have made if any. Of course the families respect that judicial independence must be firstly protected but the bereaved families told Mr Swinney that they believe they have the right to answers from the Lord President on what has gone so wrong.
There can be no further excuses for delays or mistakes. It is ironic that the UK Inquiry that began after the Scotland’s is now underway and has indeed placed the Scottish families at the heart of the Inquiry. The families were told today that they expect progress to be made by Tuesday 25th October in relation to the direction of this public inquiry.
Dr. Alan Wightman, Chair of the Scottish Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice
I’m Alan Wightman and I lost my Mum Helen on 6th May 2020 to Covid acquired in her care home. I campaigned for a Scottish Covid Inquiry because I wanted to establish the truth over why over 10,000 people died in Scotland from infection by coronavirus.
I want accountability, I want lessons to be learned and I want a list of recommendations to be provided and implemented.
I want a commitment from all political parties that, regardless of the political completion of any future Scottish Government, that the majority (if not the totality) of those recommendations will be fully implemented with minimal delay.
It is notable that we have not even been granted CP status in the Scottish inquiry, despite having
applied, yet it was granted to us in the UK Inquiry.
We were never front and centre of the Inquiry process once Lady Poole took charge, with not even a courtesy email to alert us once a news item was published on the Inquiry process.
Any replacement Chair who cannot command the respect and co-operation of the families will find that their Inquiry will lack credibility.
