WhatsApp messages should have been 'too important' to delete
Ms Mitchell says some of the best evidence in previous Covid inquiry sessions two came from contemporaneous accounts such as WhatsApp messages.
She says it should have been clear to ministers these messages would be important to a future inquiry and they should not have been deleted.
"Did the deletion of messages continue after spring 2021?" she says
'Families of the bereaved deserve better'
BBCCopyright: BBC
Claire Mitchell KC, instructed by Aamer Anwar and company solicitors, begins to speak on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved.
Ms Mitchell says preparations for Brexit taking place ahead of pandemic planning left the UK "virtually defenceless" as Covid quickly multiplied and took over the UK.
She adds that while politicians were keen to offer their condolences to the bereaved and expressing how important the inquiry was, when it came to answering questions, there were repeated instances of obfuscation.
The families of the bereaved deserve better, putting politics and political careers aside she adds.
'A matter of life or death'
The requirement for the Scottish government to have access to data is key, explains Jamie Dawson KC.
He says the inquiry will investigate the government's access to local data across the country and will also look at modelling.
It will also hear from a number of key representatives from the advisory bodies that gave advice to the Scottish government.
NHS capacity, care and the role of border controls and schools, will be examined.
Mr Dawson says the way ministers complied with the pandemic rules and regulations will be looked at.
He says: "Decisions taken during the course of a pandemic, by our political leaders, were a matter of life or death."
Leaders ought to be judged on whether they took reasonable decisions, he concludes.
Have all relevant government documents been handed over?
Kirsten Campbell
BBC Scotland political correspondent
The inquiry has expressed its frustration before about the difficulties it has had getting information requested out of the Scottish government.
In the main that seems to have been resolved, with 28,000 Whatsapp messages being handed over to Baroness Hallett and her team.
More than 54,000 documents have been recovered. And most of those that were redacted for legal reasons have now been shared with the black lines removed.
The lead counsel for Module 2A on the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC, said he’d been assured all relevant documents had been provided, but warned “if that transpires not to be the case we will want to know why".
He also revealed that no minutes were retained of “gold command” meetings between ministers and their advisers which took place at weekends ahead of Scottish cabinet meetings.
Expect ministers to be asked about that when they appear before the inquiry.
'Strained relations'
Andrew Picken
BBC Scotland News
The relationship between the UK and Scottish governments during the pandemic will come into sharp focus over the coming weeks.
A lot of the positive areas of cross-border co-operation, such as the vaccine programme, will be highlighted but a number of points of tension will also be examined.
This is likely to include changes in messaging by the UK government which the Scottish government did not follow.
For example, In May 2020 the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a new slogan for people to "stay alert, control the virus and save lives".
But then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she had no notice of the change, said there should be a "simpler" message and that people in Scotland should still stay at home.
Jamie Dawson KC returns to look at the timeline of the pandemic in Scotland in 2021.
This time period includes the Holyrood election, with Humza Yousaf becoming the health secretary.
John Swinney was appointed as the minister for Covid recovery.
Once Mr Dawson has finished his extensive summary, we'll hear from the core participants.
Coming up: Opening statements from core participants
In this afternoon's session, we'll hear from the following core participants who are allowed to give statements and propose questions to be asked of witnesses:
Scottish Covid Bereaved: Aamer Anwar
Scottish Ministers: Caroline Beattie
Public Health Scotland: Stefano Rinaldi
NHS National Services Scotland (NHS NSS): Robbie Wightman
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC): Sarah Winfield
Trades Union Congress (TUC) Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC): Gerard Stilliard
Scottish Care: Kirstyn Burke
Disability Rights UK Inclusion Scotland: Shamik Dutta
The headlines so far
After a blizzard of dates, facts and figures, the inquiry has now taken a one-hour lunch break. So it's a good opportunity to look at the main points which have been highlighted.
There were some "significant" differences in how the UK and Scottish governments handled pandemic advice.
The inquiry is reminded that the first Covid-19 outbreak in Scotland followed a Nike conference held in the city on 25 and 26 February 2020
The first death - of a French rugby fan in Scotland for an international match - was recorded on 13 March 2020
Lead counsel to the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC, says questions will be asked as to whether the Scottish government acted quickly enough.
"Did delay cost lives?" the KC asks.
The inquiry will resume at 13:45.
A reminder of the big lockdown dates
We've been watching and listening as the lead counsel to the inquiry goes through an exhausting timeline of pandemic events.
Here's a reminder of some of the most important dates:
16 March 2020: The public are told to avoid non-essential travel and social contact, and to work from home where possible. All indoor and outdoor events of 500 people or more are cancelled too
19 March: Scottish government announces the closure of all schools and nurseries within days
20 March: UK government orders all pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues across all the nations to close
21 May: Scottish government publishes a Covid-19 "route map" to take Scotland through and out of the pandemic in phases
19 June: The re-opening of shops and other businesses gets under way.
Did Scottish government do enough to protect people of Scotland?
The questions keep coming from Jamie Dawson KC in his now nearly two-hour opening statement.
After a detailed timeline of the pandemic in Scotland, he asks about the powers of the Scottish government to manage the pandemic and why it did not do more.
"We will ask whether the Scottish government could and should have done more over this period to protect the people of Scotland from the virus?"
Should Scottish ministers have acted more quickly?
The inquiry will examine the powers Scottish ministers had and their decisions about when to act during the pandemic, explains Jamie Dawson KC.
It has already heard about "delay and indecision" in February 2020 by the UK government, he says.
In light of the emerging threat, why did the Scottish ministers make the decisions they did, he asks.
"Should they have known more? Should they have acted more quickly in response to the emerging, lethal threat?"
First death... and the cancellation of sports events
The inquiry hears the first death with Covid in Scotland was announced on 13 March 2020.
The man who died was a French national who had travelled to Edinburgh for a rugby international.
Mr Dawson highlights that it was just the day before - on 12 March - that the Scottish government issued guidance that all indoor and outdoor events of 500 people or more should be cancelled - but accepted it didn't have the power to compel cancellations.
"Why were the measures introduced in Scotland at this time thought to be the best for the nation," the KC asks.
"What consideration was applied to alternative strategies? Why were they not taken? What lessons were learned from the pattern in Italy, France, Spain and London where the pandemic's effects were seen earlier than in Scotland?
"Did delay cost lives?"
Scotland's first recognised outbreak of Covid at Nike conference
BBCCopyright: BBC
The lead counsel for the inquiry asks questions around Scotland's preparedness for the pandemic.
James Dawson KC says in February 2020 a lockdown was introduced in Italy and Scotland's men's international rugby team played Italy on 22 of February in Rome.
The corresponding women's match was cancelled, he says.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship arrived in the UK with many asymptomatic cases.
Then there was a Covid-19 outbreak at the Nike conference held in Edinburgh on 25 and 26 February 2020.
However, Scotland's first recognised outbreak of Covid, which was traced to the Nike conference, did not result in community transmission of the virus.
A Public Health Scotland report found a single case among the 71 delegates led to 38 further infections.
Jamie Dawson KC turns to analysis of the pandemic in Scotland and says the ebb and flow of the virus was similar, in part, to the rest of the UK.
He highlights certain common features on both sides of the border, but goes on to say there were many "significant differences".
Mr Dawson will outline a timeline of the pandemic in Scotland highlighting the key issues and decisions, looking at the reasonableness of the Scottish government decisions.
He explains the Scottish government pursued its own strategies to fight the virus during the first lockdown.
The KC's detailed opening statement continues.
How were relations between the UK and devolved governments?
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Boris Johnson delegated relations with the devolved nations to Michael GoveImage caption: Boris Johnson delegated relations with the devolved nations to Michael Gove
Relations between the Scottish and UK governments are now in Mr Dawson's sights.
The KC says expert evidence showed there were no Joint Ministerial Council meetings after 2019.
The Welsh first minister and the then first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, wrote a letter calling for Cobra crisis meetings to resume.
The prime minister had delegated relations with the devolved nations to Michael Gove, explains the legal counsel.
The intergovernmental relations during the pandemic will be one of the key focuses of this inquiry.
A tale of two very different Covid inquiries
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
Protesters outside the UK Covid inquiry when it sat in LondonImage caption: Protesters outside the UK Covid inquiry when it sat in London
We've been hearing Jamie Dawson KC talk about how he will contrast evidence previously given to the UK inquiry with how the situation was handled in Scotland.
And, remember, beyond that there is the slightly confusing matter of this UK Covid inquiry running alongside a separate Scottish inquiry.
And they are two inquiries taking a very different approach.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Nicola Sturgeon, pictured during the pandemic, will give evidence to both inquiriesImage caption: Nicola Sturgeon, pictured during the pandemic, will give evidence to both inquiries
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry began last August and has already heard from a number of people involved in Scotland's response to the pandemic - including the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
But its scope is much broader as it covers the impact of the pandemic and decisions taken by the UK government for the whole of the UK.
The Scottish inquiry is only investigating policy areas under the control of the Scottish government.
The UK and Scottish inquiries have agreed, where possible, not to sit at the same time when they are considering material which is relevant to both to try and cut down on any confusion for the public.
For the next three weeks we'll bring you coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry.
The inquiry is back after a break and Jamie Dawson KC continues his opening statement.
His focus, for now, is on expert advice previously given to the inquiry.
Mr Dawson points out Scottish constitutional matters will be examined while the inquiry is in Edinburgh.
What have we heard so far?
With the hearing now on a quick break, here is a brief summary of what we've heard so far.
Baroness Hallett says this is an inquiry for all four nations of the United Kingdom, "which is why I'm pleased to be here in Scotland".
The Scottish Covid Bereaved group want more answers from Scottish politicians, their solicitor has said
Lead counsel Jamie Dawson KC says the inquiry will examine the political response to the pandemic
The Scottish government has been accused of a lack of consultation with impacted groups during lockdown and beyond
KC highlights 'lack of consultation' by Scottish government
Jamie Dawson KC tells the inquiry: "The evidence suggests there was a lack of consultation with representatives of impact groups by the Scottish government.
"In particular in the early stages of the pandemic, but also after the Scottish government's Four Harm Strategy."
'Fragile state of social care' highlighted by lead counsel
Jamie Dawson KC tells the inquiry that experts have provided analysis of "missed opportunities" during the pandemic, for example with the disabled community who faced a disproportionate impact.
The data from Scotland shows a "much higher risk of infection, severe infection and mortality amongst those with intellectual disabilities".
Mr Dawson also highlights the fragile state of social care at the time of the pandemic.
Live Reporting
Edited by Paul McLaren and Craig Hutchison
All times stated are UK
WhatsApp messages should have been 'too important' to delete
Ms Mitchell says some of the best evidence in previous Covid inquiry sessions two came from contemporaneous accounts such as WhatsApp messages.
She says it should have been clear to ministers these messages would be important to a future inquiry and they should not have been deleted.
"Did the deletion of messages continue after spring 2021?" she says
'Families of the bereaved deserve better'
Claire Mitchell KC, instructed by Aamer Anwar and company solicitors, begins to speak on behalf of the Scottish Covid Bereaved.
Ms Mitchell says preparations for Brexit taking place ahead of pandemic planning left the UK "virtually defenceless" as Covid quickly multiplied and took over the UK.
She adds that while politicians were keen to offer their condolences to the bereaved and expressing how important the inquiry was, when it came to answering questions, there were repeated instances of obfuscation.
The families of the bereaved deserve better, putting politics and political careers aside she adds.
'A matter of life or death'
The requirement for the Scottish government to have access to data is key, explains Jamie Dawson KC.
He says the inquiry will investigate the government's access to local data across the country and will also look at modelling.
It will also hear from a number of key representatives from the advisory bodies that gave advice to the Scottish government.
NHS capacity, care and the role of border controls and schools, will be examined.
Mr Dawson says the way ministers complied with the pandemic rules and regulations will be looked at.
He says: "Decisions taken during the course of a pandemic, by our political leaders, were a matter of life or death."
Leaders ought to be judged on whether they took reasonable decisions, he concludes.
Have all relevant government documents been handed over?
Kirsten Campbell
BBC Scotland political correspondent
The inquiry has expressed its frustration before about the difficulties it has had getting information requested out of the Scottish government.
In the main that seems to have been resolved, with 28,000 Whatsapp messages being handed over to Baroness Hallett and her team.
More than 54,000 documents have been recovered. And most of those that were redacted for legal reasons have now been shared with the black lines removed.
The lead counsel for Module 2A on the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC, said he’d been assured all relevant documents had been provided, but warned “if that transpires not to be the case we will want to know why".
He also revealed that no minutes were retained of “gold command” meetings between ministers and their advisers which took place at weekends ahead of Scottish cabinet meetings.
Expect ministers to be asked about that when they appear before the inquiry.
'Strained relations'
Andrew Picken
BBC Scotland News
The relationship between the UK and Scottish governments during the pandemic will come into sharp focus over the coming weeks.
A lot of the positive areas of cross-border co-operation, such as the vaccine programme, will be highlighted but a number of points of tension will also be examined.
This is likely to include changes in messaging by the UK government which the Scottish government did not follow.
For example, In May 2020 the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a new slogan for people to "stay alert, control the virus and save lives".
But then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she had no notice of the change, said there should be a "simpler" message and that people in Scotland should still stay at home.
Read more here
The inquiry resumes...
Jamie Dawson KC returns to look at the timeline of the pandemic in Scotland in 2021.
This time period includes the Holyrood election, with Humza Yousaf becoming the health secretary.
John Swinney was appointed as the minister for Covid recovery.
Once Mr Dawson has finished his extensive summary, we'll hear from the core participants.
Coming up: Opening statements from core participants
In this afternoon's session, we'll hear from the following core participants who are allowed to give statements and propose questions to be asked of witnesses:
The headlines so far
After a blizzard of dates, facts and figures, the inquiry has now taken a one-hour lunch break. So it's a good opportunity to look at the main points which have been highlighted.
The inquiry will resume at 13:45.
A reminder of the big lockdown dates
We've been watching and listening as the lead counsel to the inquiry goes through an exhausting timeline of pandemic events.
Here's a reminder of some of the most important dates:
Did Scottish government do enough to protect people of Scotland?
The questions keep coming from Jamie Dawson KC in his now nearly two-hour opening statement.
After a detailed timeline of the pandemic in Scotland, he asks about the powers of the Scottish government to manage the pandemic and why it did not do more.
"We will ask whether the Scottish government could and should have done more over this period to protect the people of Scotland from the virus?"
Should Scottish ministers have acted more quickly?
The inquiry will examine the powers Scottish ministers had and their decisions about when to act during the pandemic, explains Jamie Dawson KC.
It has already heard about "delay and indecision" in February 2020 by the UK government, he says.
In light of the emerging threat, why did the Scottish ministers make the decisions they did, he asks.
"Should they have known more? Should they have acted more quickly in response to the emerging, lethal threat?"
First death... and the cancellation of sports events
The inquiry hears the first death with Covid in Scotland was announced on 13 March 2020.
The man who died was a French national who had travelled to Edinburgh for a rugby international.
Mr Dawson highlights that it was just the day before - on 12 March - that the Scottish government issued guidance that all indoor and outdoor events of 500 people or more should be cancelled - but accepted it didn't have the power to compel cancellations.
"Why were the measures introduced in Scotland at this time thought to be the best for the nation," the KC asks.
"What consideration was applied to alternative strategies? Why were they not taken? What lessons were learned from the pattern in Italy, France, Spain and London where the pandemic's effects were seen earlier than in Scotland?
"Did delay cost lives?"
Scotland's first recognised outbreak of Covid at Nike conference
The lead counsel for the inquiry asks questions around Scotland's preparedness for the pandemic.
James Dawson KC says in February 2020 a lockdown was introduced in Italy and Scotland's men's international rugby team played Italy on 22 of February in Rome.
The corresponding women's match was cancelled, he says.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship arrived in the UK with many asymptomatic cases.
Then there was a Covid-19 outbreak at the Nike conference held in Edinburgh on 25 and 26 February 2020.
However, Scotland's first recognised outbreak of Covid, which was traced to the Nike conference, did not result in community transmission of the virus.
A Public Health Scotland report found a single case among the 71 delegates led to 38 further infections.
Read more here
'Significant' cross-border differences
Jamie Dawson KC turns to analysis of the pandemic in Scotland and says the ebb and flow of the virus was similar, in part, to the rest of the UK.
He highlights certain common features on both sides of the border, but goes on to say there were many "significant differences".
Mr Dawson will outline a timeline of the pandemic in Scotland highlighting the key issues and decisions, looking at the reasonableness of the Scottish government decisions.
He explains the Scottish government pursued its own strategies to fight the virus during the first lockdown.
The KC's detailed opening statement continues.
How were relations between the UK and devolved governments?
Relations between the Scottish and UK governments are now in Mr Dawson's sights.
The KC says expert evidence showed there were no Joint Ministerial Council meetings after 2019.
The Welsh first minister and the then first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, wrote a letter calling for Cobra crisis meetings to resume.
The prime minister had delegated relations with the devolved nations to Michael Gove, explains the legal counsel.
The intergovernmental relations during the pandemic will be one of the key focuses of this inquiry.
A tale of two very different Covid inquiries
We've been hearing Jamie Dawson KC talk about how he will contrast evidence previously given to the UK inquiry with how the situation was handled in Scotland.
And, remember, beyond that there is the slightly confusing matter of this UK Covid inquiry running alongside a separate Scottish inquiry.
And they are two inquiries taking a very different approach.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry began last August and has already heard from a number of people involved in Scotland's response to the pandemic - including the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
But its scope is much broader as it covers the impact of the pandemic and decisions taken by the UK government for the whole of the UK.
The Scottish inquiry is only investigating policy areas under the control of the Scottish government.
The UK and Scottish inquiries have agreed, where possible, not to sit at the same time when they are considering material which is relevant to both to try and cut down on any confusion for the public.
For the next three weeks we'll bring you coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry.
Read more here
Back after a break
The inquiry is back after a break and Jamie Dawson KC continues his opening statement.
His focus, for now, is on expert advice previously given to the inquiry.
Mr Dawson points out Scottish constitutional matters will be examined while the inquiry is in Edinburgh.
What have we heard so far?
With the hearing now on a quick break, here is a brief summary of what we've heard so far.
KC highlights 'lack of consultation' by Scottish government
Jamie Dawson KC tells the inquiry: "The evidence suggests there was a lack of consultation with representatives of impact groups by the Scottish government.
"In particular in the early stages of the pandemic, but also after the Scottish government's Four Harm Strategy."
'Fragile state of social care' highlighted by lead counsel
Jamie Dawson KC tells the inquiry that experts have provided analysis of "missed opportunities" during the pandemic, for example with the disabled community who faced a disproportionate impact.
The data from Scotland shows a "much higher risk of infection, severe infection and mortality amongst those with intellectual disabilities".
Mr Dawson also highlights the fragile state of social care at the time of the pandemic.