COVID Inquiries Response Engagement Group (CIREG) minutes: December 2025

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic (DFM)

• Claire Tynte-Irvine, Co-Director for Covid Inquiries Response Directorate (following DFM departure)

Members

• Adam Stachura, Age Scotland

• Francesca Malila, CEMVO Scotland

• Dr Pauline Nolan, Inclusion Scotland
• Mark Kelvin, LGBT Health and Wellbeing
• Suzanne Munday, Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project (MECOPP)
• Maggie Waterton, Scottish Covid Bereaved
• Linda Somerville (Deputy General Secretary), Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
• Peter Kelly, The Poverty Alliance

Observers

• Aileen MacArthur, Covid Inquiries Response Directorate

• Nicole Murphy, Covid Inquiries Response Directorate
• Emma Nycz, Covid Inquiries Response Directorate

Secretariat

• Fiona Mackay, Covid Inquiries Response Directorate
• Dean Kowalski, Covid Inquiries Response Directorate

Apologies

• Juliet Swann, Transparency International (UK)

Items and actions

The chair started the meeting by welcoming all participants and thanking them for providing their time, expertise and challenge.

Context and summary of Module 2 report

The group received an overview of the Module 2 report following publication on 20 November. The 14 recommendations relevant to Scotland broadly fall into four themes, grouped by lead policy areas:

• scientific and technical advice, and appointment of experts - some of this work will be led by GO Science with input from Scottish Government

• structures and processes we have in place for whole-system emergencies - building on our response to Module 1, led by civil contingencies colleagues to ensure continuity

• public communications, including digital

• decision making, including the operation of Cabinet and scrutiny of legislation

Each recommendation has been allocated to an SG policy area to take the lead on developing the response

It was noted that the Scottish Government’s response will focus on the specified recommendations; however, the embedded recommendations will inform future policy development. A number of the recommendations are aimed at each of the four nations in the UK, and will require cross government working, discussions on which are already ongoing.

Stakeholder perspectives

All members of the group had the opportunity to feedback their initial thoughts in response to the Module 2 report. The group had a constructive and considered discussion of+ the recommendations set out in the report, identifying areas the group believes should be prioritised by the Deputy First Minister in formulating the response to the Module 2 report.

The Deputy First Minister confirmed that she would update parliament on the timing of response to Module 2 the following day.

During the discussion members raised concerns that they were not included in Operation Pegasus and pressed the Deputy First Minister to engage with the UK government to champion their involvement in future exercises.

There was discussion about the response to the Module 1 report, and it was agreed to share the link to the published response for Module 1 with the group.

The Deputy First Minister thanked all participants for their time and contributions and outlined the importance of taking into account the views of those who lived through and experienced the pandemic. 

The Deputy First Minister left the meeting and the remaining part of the meeting was chaired by Claire Tynte-Irvine, Director for Covid Inquiries Response.

Future engagement

There was a discussion with the group about what future engagement should look like, and around the format of the next meeting. Bringing in additional participants for the next meeting was discussed as a potential option to widen out the discussion. The group was open to suggestions on what format would work for the next meeting.

The group agreed the next meeting should focus on areas where their input can add the most value, including:

• communications – and the future shape of our taskforce

• framework for marginalised groups

• interplay between scientific and data-driven evidence and equalities

Defining expertise and sourcing advice – ensuring it reflects the best interests of the people of Scotland.

It was agreed that secretariat would provide a suggested outline for the next meeting alongside the draft meeting minutes, to be circulated the following week.

Action: Secretariat to share a link to the published response to the Module 1 report

Action: Secretariat to provide a suggested outline for the next meeting; and

Action: CIREG members to suggest additional participants who could be invited to the next meeting.

Next meeting:

21 January 2026, 14:00 – 17:00 hrs – Victoria Quay/Hybrid available