Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing the accepted recommendations of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report, which was published on 18 July 2024.
We welcomed the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report on pre-pandemic preparedness and resilience on 18 July 2024. We published our initial response on 16 January 2025, where we set out the actions and steps we are taking to address the Inquiry’s recommendations.
Today we publish our second progress report, setting out the steps taken over the past twelve months to make effective, practical and measurable improvements in pandemic planning and preparedness.
During Autumn 2025, the Scottish Government participated in the UK-wide pandemic exercise, Exercise Pegasus, to test our national and local preparedness for future pandemics. This is the first exercise of its kind in almost a decade and the learnings identified will inform our future plans and actions.
In September 2025, the Scottish Government laid before the Scottish Parliament titled, “the Scottish Government Report on Whole System Civil Emergency Preparedness”. The is the first report in a series, which will follow every three years and on 12 January 2026, we submitted a close out report to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Chair, stipulating that we consider this recommendation closed.
The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Scotland is as resilient as possible to future risks, and we continue to taking the necessary steps to achieve this. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners and stakeholders to deliver these recommendations.
A copy of the progress report is available online at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806436248
Our next progress report will be provided within six months.