Could things have been done better?published at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January

11:13 GMT 16 January

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Thinking back to early media briefings at St Andrew's house, it felt that minsters and officials across the UK were acting together.

Things were moving at a very fast pace and, going into the first lockdown, each nation moved together.

But it quickly became apparent that the devolved nations wanted to make different decisions coming out.

Constitutional expert Professor Ailsa Henderson wrote a report for the inquiry , externalthat outlines some of the key differences in each nation.

The hearings in Scotland will seek to establish the context around divergence in decision making.

As lead council for module 2A, Jamie Dawson KC outlines in his opening statement that, it will consider whether they were “reasonable, evidence based and in the best the best interests of the people of Scotland”, and if not what could have been done better?

Jamie Dawson KC is going into great detail about what has been heard at earlier sittings of the UK inquiry and what he intends to deal with during the Edinburgh sessions.

You can watch his opening statement live by clicking on the link above.

People are still dying of Covid in Scotland every week, although it might not be headline news any more.

That, of course, wasn't the case during the harrowing months of the pandemic.

The first Covid-19 death in Scotland was reported by NHS Lothian on 13 March 2020.

After this point, the death rates ebbed and flowed with the different waves of the pandemic and, as of the end of 2023, a total of 16,929 people in Scotland had died with Covid according to National Records of Scotland (NRS).

NRS data shows that in the last week of 2023, a total of 30 deaths were recorded where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificates.

Most Covid deaths occurred in hospitals and care homes.

Jamie Dawson KC is giving a wide-ranging and detailed timetable of the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland. Here are the main dates of the lockdown:

• 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 reopening of shops and other businesses gets under way.

The impact video, featuring powerful personal testimony from a number of individuals who suffered during the pandemic, has drawn to a close.

We now move to the opening statement from the lead counsel to the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC.

He says the inquiry will examine the political response to the pandemic and he outines the timetable of the pandemic.

As we have been saying, the objective of the UK Covid Inquiry is to examine the decisions that were made during the pandemic years, including questioning the Scottish government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Solicitor Aamer Anwar, who represents the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme the massive number of people who died is the measure governments should be judge by.

Anwar has been critical of some of the evidence sessions held in London so far.

"The Scottish Covid Bereaved wish to say loudly and clearly this morning, to politicians in Scotland who will give evidence in this module, they want better."

Image source, Getty Images

Baroness Hallet begins proceedings by saying: "This is an inquiry for all four nations of the United Kingdom, which is why I'm pleased to be here in Scotland."

She emphasises that she has not yet reached any conclusions and will only do so after she has heard all the evidence.

We're going to begin with an "impact video" which is "distressing" and some people will not be able to watch, she explains.

The film lasts 21 minutes, and if you feel you might be affected please mute the stream at the top of the page.

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is beginning its module 2 session in Edinburgh, looking at the Core UK decision-making and political governance in Scotland.

Here's the timetable:

• 10:00 - 13:00 Opening remarks by the chair and then an impact video. This will be followed by a statement by the counsel to the inquiry
• 14:00 - 16:30 Opening statements by core participants

Image source, Getty Images

The UK Covid inquiry will be sitting in Edinburgh over the next three weeks as it focuses on pandemic decision-making in Scotland.

Key witnesses are expected to include former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Ex-health minister Jeane Freeman and national clinical director Prof Jason Leitch are also expected to give evidence.

It is the first time the hearings have taken place outside London since the inquiry began in August 2022.

A total of 12 sessions will be held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) between 16 January and 1 February.

• Read more here
• Why is the UK Covid Inquiry coming to Scotland?
• A tale of two very different Covid inquiries
• What is the UK Covid inquiry and how does it work?

The impact of the Covid pandemic is still being felt four years on from the first reports of the virus emerging from China.

Both the Scottish and UK public inquiries are investigating the response to the pandemic.

This includes looking at the impact of the pandemic, how decisions to respond to the crisis were taken and how Covid policies were implemented.

The goal is to establish the facts of what happened during the country's response to the pandemic and then work out what lessons can be learned for future public health emergencies.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry which is taking evidence in Edinburgh for the next three weeks.

Former judge Lady Hallett will chair the public hearings at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

We’ll bring you live reports, background and analysis of the proceedings.

If you want to watch live from about 10:00, stick with us and press the play icon at the top of the page.