The UK COVID inquiry has begun its first hearing in Wales, looking at the decisions taken by the Welsh government during the pandemic.

For the next few weeks, the inquiry will sit at the Mercure Hotel in Cardiff.

The inquiry will spend until 14 March hearing evidence for Module 2B – core decision-making in Wales.

But some people who lost family members during the pandemic have told Sky News they want to see a separate Wales-specific COVID inquiry, as is the case in Scotland.

Read more: The families in Wales who want answers on COVID decisions

Responding to those calls, chair of the inquiry Baroness Heather Hallett said that “everyone knows [it] is not a decision for me”.

“I can promise, however, that the UK inquiry will do its utmost to investigate and analyse fully and fairly the most significant issues that concern the people of Wales,” she said.

COVID inquiry: The families in Wales who want answers over pandemic decisions

Cause of long COVID brain fog could be from leaky blood vessels, study says

COVID Inquiry: ‘Nicola Sturgeon could cry from one eye if she wanted to,’ says Scottish Secretary Alister Jack

Baroness Hallett said it was “probably appropriate that we begin these hearings in Wales in a week that includes St David’s Day but also includes the National Day of Reflection on Sunday, when we remember those who lost their lives during the pandemic”.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

As the hearing got under way on Tuesday, a 20-minute impact film, with contributors speaking in both English and Welsh, was played.

Baroness Hallett described it as “extremely moving” and “it reminds us all why we are here”.

The opening statements will take place on Tuesday, with the evidence starting on Wednesday.

Lead counsel to the inquiry, Tom Poole KC, said the module would primarily focus on the decisions taken by the Welsh government, but would also include “an analysis of inter-governmental structures and relations between the four governments of the UK”.

It is expected outgoing first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, will be called to give evidence, as well as former health minister, Vaughan Gething.

Related posts:

Javid ‘honoured’ to take over as health secretary after Hancock quits over COVID rules breach Immediate priority is ending pandemic, says Health Secretary Javid – amid ‘baptism of fire’ warning PM business council faces shake-up amid CBI speech backlash Johnson’s former Brexit minister warns him he has until the autumn to save his premiership Sunak accused of wasting billions by paying too much interest on government debt ‘Bordering on preposterous’: Government food strategy tells public to eat venison instead of beef to save planet Can Sunak repair and reunite the Tory party after remarkable political comeback? | Beth Rigby Stormont brake will be veto not delay of EU law in Northern Ireland, minister confirms Tory minister named in Johnson partygate interference report quits Trump joins Republican presidential candidate rivals at campaign dinner Fiscal headroom, inheritance tax, thresholds – what key autumn statement terms mean Minister told off by Afghan inquiry chair over refusal to name officers who told him of murder allegations