Davies: “Wales Covid Review Will Be Toothless”

Conservative Senedd member for the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend Andrew RT Davies has said a proposed review into the Covid-19 pandemic in Wales will be “toothless”.

Mr Davies warned the review will lack statutory powers, and so will not have the power to compel witnesses and provide proper scrutiny.

He said power without accountability is a significant problem with the Senedd, pointing out Welsh Government ministers were entirely responsible for the pandemic response in Wales.

He said the Senedd’s decision to block an inquiry into grooming gangs in Wales was another example.

He explained many institutions that failed to prevent group based sexual exploitation were the Senedd’s responsibility, including social services.

Mr Davies said:

“This is not the Covid inquiry we need – without statutory powers to compel witnesses, this review will be toothless.

“Senedd ministers were entirely responsible for the pandemic response in Wales – there must be a full inquiry to learn the lessons.

“Power without accountability is a huge problem with the Senedd – the decision to block an inquiry into grooming gangs is another example.”

 Mark Palmer, Wales’ politics assistant editor and Adrian Browne, Wales political reporter

Published 21 October 2026 then Updated 22 October 2026

Campaigners for families who lost relatives to Covid-19 say they will not take part in the Welsh government’s pandemic review unless it has legal powers.

The co-lead of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru said the group was concerned the review would not have the power to call people to give evidence under oath, something Wales’ health minister promised before entering government.

The Plaid Cymru government announced it would hold an independent review of the previous Labour administration’s handling of the pandemic, but did not give further details of how it will take shape.

Reform said anything other than a full public inquiry would be “a spectacular U-turn” from Plaid.

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth defended the review, and said its aim was “not about apportioning blame” but ensuring Wales was better prepared “should a pandemic strike again”.

The previous Welsh Labour government refused to hold one, on the grounds that Wales’ response to the pandemic should be investigated in a UK context.

Now the government under Plaid Cymru said a review would be established by Dafydd Trystan Davies – the effectiveness and constitution minister.

On Thursday Catherine Griffiths, co-lead of the bereaved families group and whose 86-year-old father died after contracting Covid in a care home, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the review should have statutory powers.

“I’m not happy at all, actually,” she said.

“I mean for six years, senior Plaid politicians have been calling for a statutory Wales Covid inquiry, and we wonder why their commitment appears to have shifted towards a review.

“They’re very, very different beasts, a review and a statutory inquiry. I think it would be a waste of public money.

“To establish what happened, identify responsibility and make recommendations, the inquiry needs to be statutory.

“Otherwise, it’s an ad hoc arrangement. No-one is obliged to provide evidence.

“We would be unable to engage in a review as a group, and it would appear Plaid was going against its manifesto pledge.”

Kath:

I seem to be missing something here as I thought Wales was responsible for the Welsh NHS during the pandemic but the Labour Government, ‘in charge’ at that time, said it was down to the UK to do a Covid review, but typically no explanation as to why Labour was passing the buck to the UK. As the Welsh NHS is the responsibility of Wales then Wales should have started and finished their own enquiry! So we need to know truthfully why that didn’t happen.

I agree with R.T. Davies that as it was with Labour in charge, power without accountability is still a significant problem with the Senedd. There is no doubt in my mind that Welsh Government ministers were entirely answerable for the pandemic response in Wales, so accept your responsibility and help the Welsh people with the answers they have been waiting too long for.