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Lord Speaker calls for Covid public inquiry ‘as soon as possible’

Norman Fowler, health secretary under Thatcher, says ‘let’s have an inquiry and let’s do it now’
The Lord Speaker, Norman Fowler, has said a public inquiry into how the Covid pandemic was handled by the government should be set up “as soon as possible” and should not be delayed.
Lord Fowler, who was a cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher for 11 years and is a former Conservative party chair, said: “I would support those saying we need an inquiry into … whether there was a delay in lockdown because if there was we need to know why.”
He added: “If it was … in face of medical advice then that is quite a hurdle. Politicians need to be guided by the best medical advice in positions of this kind.”
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said an inquiry of this kind should “be automatic” and “should take place as soon as possible”. He added: “What we don’t need is an inquiry in a few years’ time.”His calls echoed those of the Institute for Government, whose leadership includes the former Conservative cabinet minister David Lidington and the former Labour science minister Lord Sainsbury, as they urged the prime minister to set up a statutory public inquiry in May, with hearings to start in September.
The healthcare thinktank the King’s Fund, which is chaired by Lord Kakkar, a government adviser on race and a professor of surgery at University College London, is also expected to tell Downing Street: “Now is the time.”
Their intervention comes after the Guardian revealed the extent of support for an inquiry from senior doctors and government scientific advisers.
Fowler, who as health secretary under Thatcher was central to early government information campaigns about HIV, will step down near the end of April, before the formal end of his five-year term in September. He is taking on a new role for the United Nations to continue campaigning on issues including HIV/Aids and the persecution of LGBT people.
A leaked memo revealed this month that the UK is to slash funding for lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene projects in developing nations by more than 80%. When asked about this, Fowler said cutting the aid budget was a “bad decision”. “We have an 80% cut in funds and we only have a small budget, to begin with in terms of what the UK government gives. We get £15m a year and it has gone down to £2.5m.”
He said the move would harm the national reputation of the UK, describing the decision as “so tragic”.
When asked about the future of the House of Lords and whether there were too many people given a position, he said “there are good people in the House of Lords” who are “experts” and “work hard”.
“My committee proposed a reduction from 800 to 600
source: Sarah Marsh
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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