Nicola Sturgeon has admitted Scotland had “no plan” to deal with the spread of COVID at an inquiry into the pandemic.

The former first minister argued her government was given “no choice” but to divert “significant resources” in anticipation of a no-deal Brexit.

The ex-SNP leader – who was in charge of Scotland for the duration of the pandemic – told the COVID inquiry on Thursday that although there was “thinking” about how ministers should deal with infectious diseases other than flu, nothing was ever put in writing.

When asked if she agreed with other people who previously described the plan as “wholly inadequate”, Ms Sturgeon answered: “In summary, yes.”

“The plan was for a different pandemic than the one we unfortunately were confronted with.”

She told the inquiry: “The questions in my mind, literally every day, are not so much did we lack a plan but did we lack capabilities for dealing with a pandemic of the nature of COVID.

“And obviously I’m talking there about contact tracing, testing, infrastructure in particular.”

COVID Inquiry: Why were we not prepared for a pandemic?

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COVID inquiry: Matt Hancock says UK approach to pandemic planning was ‘completely wrong’

‘Every aspect of Brexit a false economy’

Ms Sturgeon said a “significant amount of time, energy and resources” were earmarked for a possible no-deal Brexit after being diverted from a “range of other matters”.

Despite COVID being identified as the “greatest risk facing the nation”, she told the inquiry the Scottish government had “no choice”.

She added: “I deeply regret any consequences that had for our emergency planning in other areas.”

And when questioned about whether this was a “false economy”, she replied: “I think every aspect of Brexit has been a false economy.”

After that comment, Ms Sturgeon – who dramatically announced she would quit as first minister in February, eventually handing control to her successor, Humza Yousaf – was warned she was in a “witness box, not a soap box” as she gave evidence to the inquiry.

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Her deputy during the crisis, John Swinney, later told the hearing the Scottish government was “specifically prevented” from “building up a reserve” of funds that could be deployed in situations such as the COVID pandemic, due to the terms of the devolution agreement between Scotland and Westminster.

He said the UK government’s economic intervention was “very welcome” and “saved many people’s livelihoods from great jeopardy”.

However, it also demonstrated the scale of the financial challenge created by the pandemic, he added.

Ms Sturgeon earlier told the hearing that a pledge by her government to review what was described as the UK’s “sole strategy” for a possible influenza pandemic in 2011 never happened.

But she insisted even if the “four-nations plan” had been updated to reflect other non-flu pandemics, such as COVID-19, it would not have “changed substantially”.

“A review would not have changed the fundamental assumptions or planning or modelling at the heart of it,” she added.

Read more:
What is the COVID inquiry and what is it trying to find?
Austerity measures hit public health services, inquiry told
Former chief medical officer issues tearful apology to COVID victims

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Earlier this week, disgraced former health secretary Matt Hancock also conceded the UK approach to the pandemic was “completely wrong”.

He also approached the public gallery in an attempt to say sorry to families who lost loved ones – but they snubbed his apology and turned their backs on him.

David Cameron, the former prime minister, also gave evidence earlier this month and said he was “desperately sorry” about the loss of life during the pandemic, admitting it was a “mistake” not to consider “a range of different types of pandemic” during preparations in the years before COVID.

The ex-Tory leader was heckled as he left the London inquiry – with bystanders shouting “shame on you” and asking if he had damaged the reputation of the Conservative Party.

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