UK Covid-19 Inquiry - Module 1 report: progress update - July 2026

10. Independent statutory body

Recommendation Ten – A UK-wide independent statutory body for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience

Chair’s recommendation:

The UK Government should, in consultation with the devolved governments, create a statutory independent body for whole-system civil emergency preparedness and resilience.

The new body should be given responsibility for:

• Providing independent, strategic advice to the UK Government and devolved governments on their planning for, preparedness for and building resilience to whole-system civil emergencies;
• Consulting with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector at a national and local level and directors of public health on the protection of vulnerable people in whole-system civil emergencies;
• Assessing the state of planning for, preparedness for and resilience to whole system civil emergencies across the UK; and
• Making recommendations on the capacity and capabilities that will be required to prepare for and build resilience to whole-system civil emergencies.

As an interim measure, the new body should be established on a non-statutory basis within 12 months of this Report, so that it may begin its work in advance of legislation being passed.

Implementation actions and timescales set out in our January 2025 response:

• Dependent on further consideration of this recommendation by the UK Government and its consultation with the devolved governments

Progress update as at July 2026:

• Following four nations engagement, the Scottish Government took part in the UK Government led pilot in December 2025. The pilot involved independent experts from outside government undertaking a structured review and providing recommendations and a report.
• The Cabinet Office is progressing with scrutiny of catastrophic risks through the Catastrophic Risk Assurance Programme, which will assess UK planning and preparedness for whole-system, catastrophic risks. Scottish Government officials are engaging with UK Government and devolved government colleagues to shape the programme ahead of the next panel, planned for 2027.

The Scottish Government wrote to the inquiry chair on 18 May 2026 to confirm that this recommendation has been delivered and closed.