Covid-19 Inquiry: Former PM David Cameron and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to give evidence this week

David Cameron (left) and Jeremy Hunt (right) will both give evidence at the Covid-19 Inquiry. Credit: PA

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and former Prime Minister David Cameron will be among the key people to give evidence to the Covid-19 Inquiry this week.

Also on the witness list from Monday are former Chancellor George Osborne, England's chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty, and former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

Baroness Heather Hallett, who is chairing the independent inquiry, is currently looking at the UK's preparations for a pandemic.

It was first revealed by ITV News that David Cameron had been approached to give evidence, with suggestions that Baroness Hallett is likely to drill both the former prime minister and former chancellor on whether austerity left the NHS less able to cope when the pandemic hit.

Experts have argued that budget cuts ahead of the pandemic could have affected the health service's response in key areas such as bed capacity and PPE stockpiles.

The key people giving evidence this week

  • David Cameron - prime minister from 2010-2016

  • George Osborne - chancellor from 2010-2016

  • Sir Chris Whitty - chief medical officer for England from 2019

  • Sir Patrick Vallance - chief scientific adviser to the government from 2018-2023

  • Dame Sally Davies - chief medical officer from 2010-2019

  • Sir Oliver Letwin - minister for government policy from 2010-2016

  • Oliver Dowden - current deputy prime minister

  • Sir Chris Wormald - permanent secretary of Department of Health and Social Care

Left to right: George Osborne, Sir Chris Whitty, Sir Patrick Vallance, and Dame Sally Davies. Credit: PA
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Lawyers have criticised the amount of time allocated to questioning both current and former politicians, expressing "grave concerns" that they could "escape accountability".

Elkan Abrahamson, a solicitor representing campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, said: "While we understand the need to progress the inquiry swiftly, the length of time given to crucial testimony from senior government ministers is alarming.

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"Politicians are well equipped to fend off critical questions and it takes time to pierce their armour.

"We have grave concerns that the time limits will allow the slick politicians to escape accountability for their actions which had such tragic consequences."

The inquiry previously heard that another novel health pandemic is "an inevitability", while one health expert suggested the government's planning for a No-Deal Brexit severely impacted pandemic preparation.

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