UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 4 report: Scottish Government response

Ministerial Foreword

The Covid-19 pandemic tested our health and care services, our institutions, our communities and our resilience as a nation. Above all, it affected the lives of people and families across Scotland, many of whom continue to live with the consequences of the pandemic today.

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry published its Module 4 report on 16 April 2026. The report examined the development, procurement, regulation and deployment of vaccines and therapeutics during the pandemic. The Scottish Government is grateful to the Chair and the Inquiry for their detailed and thorough examination of these matters. The Inquiry’s findings and recommendations provide an important opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges experienced during the pandemic, and to strengthen our preparedness for future public health emergencies.

Vaccines and therapeutics played a critical role in protecting lives, reducing serious illness and supporting our recovery from Covid-19. The speed with which safe and effective vaccines were developed and delivered was unprecedented and demonstrated what can be achieved through collaboration between governments, public health agencies, researchers, healthcare professionals, industry and communities. It is essential we build on these achievements, whilst also learning from the challenges and inequalities highlighted by the Inquiry.

This document sets out the Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations directed to Scotland, as well as our position on recommendations that are primarily reserved to the UK Government. We have accepted, or accepted in principle, all of the recommendations addressed to us. In doing so, we recognise the importance of strengthening preparedness, improving collaboration across the four nations of the UK, reducing inequalities in access to vaccination, enhancing surveillance and data systems, and ensuring that patients continue to benefit from safe, effective and innovative medicines.

Our response reflects the distinct responsibilities of the Scottish Government and our commitment to working constructively with partners across the United Kingdom. While respecting devolved responsibilities, we support collaboration where it adds value, enables shared learning and strengthens our collective ability to respond to future health threats. The actions set out in this response build on significant work already underway across Scotland, including the implementation of Scotland's 5-Year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan, investment in digital transformation, improvements to population health intelligence, and ongoing collaboration with partners across the four nations.

A central theme throughout the Inquiry's recommendations is the importance of public trust. Trust is built through openness, transparency, engagement and a commitment to listening to people's experiences. The Scottish Government recognises that some communities continue to face barriers to accessing vaccination and other healthcare services, and that confidence in health information cannot be taken for granted. We are therefore committed to strengthening our engagement with communities, supporting evidence-based communication and tackling health inequalities through the work of the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme and our wider public health reform agenda.

We would like to thank the members of the Covid Inquiry Response Engagement Group (CIREG) for their valuable contributions in the development of this response. Their insights and lived experience have helped to shape our approach and have reinforced the importance of ensuring that learning from the pandemic remains grounded in the perspectives of those most affected.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to learning from the pandemic and to ensuring that Scotland is as prepared as possible for future public health emergencies. By working together across governments, public services, academia, industry and communities, we can build a more resilient, equitable and responsive system that protects the health and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland.

Jenny Gilruth MSP

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

Angela Constance MSP

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care