On 12 July 2023, the Senedd agreed Temporary Standing Order 35 to make provisions for the operation of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.

Temporary Standing Order 35 included a requirement for the Co-chairs of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee to agree and publish a protocol setting out their joint ways of working.

The committee was established on Tuesday 16 May in accordance with Standing Order 16.5 with the remit to:

i) Following the publication of the reports at each stage of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and in the context of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s terms of reference and timetable, propose to the Senedd by motion, any gaps identified in the preparedness and response of the Welsh Government and other Welsh public bodies during the Covid-19 pandemic that should be subject to further examination.

ii) Subject to Senedd approval, undertake a review into those areas identified for further examination.

iii) Publish reports and make recommendations accordingly.

The Senedd also:

b) agreed that the Special Purpose Committee will not revisit the conclusions of completed Senedd Committee inquiries and should seek to avoid duplication.

c) agreed that the Special Purpose Committee will not be prohibited from investigating matters previously examined by Senedd Committees where there is updated information and a clear benefit of further scrutiny.

2. Calls on the Business Committee to ensure that the Special Purpose Committee’s reports will be debated in Plenary no later than two months after their publication.