Summary

  • John Swinney, Scotland's former education secretary and deputy first minister, has given evidence to the UK Covid inquiry

  • He says he felt there was no alternative to closing schools during the second lockdown in 2021 and that it would have been "reckless" not to have done so

  • Swinney rejects suggestions that former FM Nicola Sturgeon expected to take decisions herself and that cabinet merely ratified decisions

  • He says he manually deleted text message exchanges with Sturgeon but made sure relevant information was placed on the official record

  • Swinney says he was following advice, and that he will "apologise unreservedly" if he has misunderstood the government policy

  • Former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes earlier expressed "surprise" that gold command meetings were not minuted in the same way as cabinet meetings

  • These meetings involved Sturgeon, a small group of advisers and a revolving group of ministers

  • Forbes also said she did not delete any of her WhatsApp conversations with senior colleagues during the pandemic

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul McLaren and Sam Hancock

  1. Forbes recalls delivering Scottish budget in 2020

    Inquiry lawyer Jamie Dawson KC is running through Kate Forbes's CV as today's evidence session gets going.

    The former finance secretary explains her responsibilities during the pandemic.

    Forbes says she stepped in to deliver the Scottish budget in February 2020, after Derek Mackay resigned as finance secretary on the same day.

  2. Who is Kate Forbes?

    kate Forbes arriving at the inquiryPA Media

    While Kate Forbes is asked to outline her job role during the pandemic, let's remind ourselves of who she is.

    Forbes was Scotland's finance secretary from February 2020 to March 2023.

    After ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation last February, Forbes ran to replace her. The race really came down to her and the man who went on to become Sturgeon's successor, Humza Yousaf.

    After losing, Forbes announced she would be leaving her role in the Scottish government. She is still an MSP.

    She was given a glowing reference by UK Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove at yesterday's inquiry hearing, who said he found her to be the most constructive Scottish government minister. He said Forbes was someone who could eschew political point making and concentrate on the business in hand.

  3. Today's session gets under way

    Kate Forbes has just been sworn in, which means today's hearing is beginning.

    To watch Scotland's former finance secretary give her evidence, remember to hit the 'play' button at the top of the page.

  4. On today's agenda

    As we said in our earlier post, the UK Covid Inquiry will hear today from two former senior members of ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's government.

    Former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes is up first this morning, and will be followed by ex-Deputy FM John Swinney.

    Scottish government decision-making around lockdowns, the retention of WhatsApp messages and relations between the Scottish and UK governments during the pandemic are expected to be covered in today's session in Edinburgh.

  5. What did we learn yesterday?

    I will regret Covid care home deaths for 'rest of my life' - Freeman

    • Jeane Freeman, the former Scottish health secretary, said she will regret "for the rest of my life" any deaths in care homes caused by the government’s action or inaction.
    • She was grilled about infection prevention in care homes, and the failure to test hospital patients before they were moved to care homes.
    • Basic infection control systems were not consistent in all care homes, she said, but officials worked with care providers and local authorities to improve the system. She denied Jamie Dawson KC's suggestion that the system was "completely inadequate".
    • In March 2020, social distancing and visiting restrictions were introduced to care homes, but there was a severe shortage of testing and personal protective equipment (PPE). Freeman told the inquiry "we could not magic kit and skills it out of thin air"
    • She told the inquiry she "knew the virus was serious" early on and started preparations in January 2020. But she admitted was no public messaging of the threat until the first case was announced on 1 March.
    • Earlier in the day, the UK Levelling Up secretary, Michael Gove, told the inquiry that UK ministers were irritated when Nicola Sturgeon announced a ban on mass gatherings before they did, and that led to mistrust.

  6. Welcome

    John SwinneyPA Media

    Former Deputy First Minister John Swinney is due to give evidence this afternoon

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the UK Covid Inquiry, with proceedings due to get under way in Edinburgh at around 10am.

    This morning we'll hear evidence from former Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, before former Deputy First Minister John Swinney is then sworn in.

    We’ll bring you text updates, context and all the analysis you need right here.

    If you want to watch the hearing live, stick with us and tap the 'play' icon at the top of the page in about half an hour.