To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail any work their Department has undertaken in the last 12 months to address issues emerging from the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, including in relation to contingency planning.

During the past 12 months work has continued to strengthen resilience and preparedness arrangements in NI. We, as an Executive, considered Civil Contingencies arrangements on 29 February 2024. The “NI Civil Contingencies Framework – Building Resilience Together”, originally published in July 2021, sets out the Northern Ireland arrangements for civil emergencies and identifies the processes involved in responding to and recovering from an emergency. The Framework, which brought together existing protocols and guidance, is regularly reviewed, with the most recent review being carried out in 2023.

The Covid-19 Inquiry Modular Recommendations and lessons learned steering group, with representation from all NICS departments, was established in 2024 to progress recommendations arising from the Covid-19 Inquiry and implement identified lessons learned.

The Executive Response to the Covid-19 Inquiry: Resilience and Preparedness (Module 1) Report, published on 16 January 2025, provides further detail on actions that have been taken since the Covid-19 Pandemic and outlines how we plan to implement the recommendations contained in Module 1 Report.