Will the Minister provide a breakdown of funding provided to community health councils to conduct the COVID-19 inquiry's listening exercise, and confirm whether the data collected will be evidential?
At the outset it was agreed with the CHCs that up to £18,000 could be provided to cover costs incurred, based on estimates for planned work. In the event, the CHCs have confirmed that they will be able to undertake the work agreed within existing budgets this year.
Following discussions with the Welsh Government, over the summer Community Health Councils have been gathering views and experiences of people across Wales in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the intention of sharing information gathered with the Covid-19 Inquiry. How that information is treated by the Inquiry, once submitted, is for the Chair to determine. This is a separate exercise to the Inquiry’s listening exercise.