UKHospitality appointed sole business voice in Covid-19 inquiry

UKHospitality has been named as a core participant in the next phase of the Covid-19 public inquiry to examine the economic response to the pandemic. 

A preliminary hearing took place in London today (23 October) with both UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls and deputy chief executive Allen Simpson in attendance as the sole private sector representatives.

Core participants can support the inquiry by seeing evidence, making submissions and suggesting questions to ask witnesses.

No other industry is directly represented in this phase of the inquiry in this way.

UKHospitality will give formal evidence to the inquiry on behalf of the hospitality sector next year.

The Covid inquiry was launched by former prime minister Boris Johnson in June 2022 to put the government’s actions during the pandemic “under the microscope”.

It is designed to investigate different aspects of the government’s response to Covid-19 and make conclusions and recommendations based on the findings.

The economic response module will examine interventions taken by the government in areas such as support for business, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and business rates relief and grants. 

It will consider the scale of the interventions, how decisions were taken at the time, and any lessons that can be learned.

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “We were pleased to attend the opening session today and be confirmed as the only core participants from any industry. 

“The fact hospitality has been recognised in this way is encouraging. We look forward to providing oral evidence to the inquiry in due course. Our job is to be a conduit for the sector, and we welcome anyone to be in touch.”

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