Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
I do not have time.
Not only would it be completely inappropriate for ministers to seek to do anything other than allow that process to continue—which, yet again, is being obfuscated by the Labour motion today—but it would be unlawful. The clue is in the name: public inquiries, such as the one that is being led by Lord Brodie, are obliged to conduct their work in an open and transparent manner.
That is why we know that Lord Brodie commissioned the reports and audits that have been referenced already on water and ventilation from Andrew Poplett, the inquiry’s expert; that Andrew Poplett’s view is that the Queen Elizabeth university hospital’s current procedures for managing the water system are suitable and safe; that he noted that the facilities team is now exceeding standard guidance and adopting a proactive and preventative approach that prioritises patient safety and resilience; and that expert testimony to the inquiry has advised that governance arrangements for water and ventilation are now optimal.
Those independent judgments are important markers of the progress that has been made and of the seriousness with which patient safety is now embedded in day-to-day operations at the hospital. I will not pre-empt the inquiry’s final conclusions and recommendations, but I am pleased that, during its course, we have been provided with important reassurances about the hospital’s water and ventilation.
As I did in my speech two weeks ago, I will finish by bringing my focus back to the patients and families. I sincerely hope that, when the inquiry’s final conclusions and recommendations are published, they will finally gain a sense of closure and feel that their questions have been answered.