'Missing' notes from key Stormont meeting handed to Covid inquiry

A set of notes from a key meeting of the Stormont executive believed to be missing has been handed to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

The handwritten notes related to a meeting of the executive on July 2 2020 which was the first meeting of ministers following the funeral of senior republican Bobby Storey.

The funeral sparked political controversy after then deputy first minister Michelle O'Neill attended despite lockdown restrictions being in place limiting gatherings.

Earlier this week, the former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sir David Sterling told the inquiry there was a "discernible chill" between then first minister Arlene Foster and Ms O'Neill following the funeral.

At the start of the inquiry hearing on Friday morning, counsel to the inquiry Clair Dobbin KC revealed that the notes from the July 2 meeting had now been located by The Executive Office.

Previously the inquiry had been told the notes were not held.

Ms Dobbin said the inquiry was approached by the TEO following opening statements to say "in fact they had the minutes of the July 2 meeting", and that officials were "surprised" as they believed the notes had been supplied to the inquiry.

She outlined efforts that had been made by the inquiry to obtain those notes and follow-up queries around missing materials.

Ms Dobbin said the inquiry "set out to The Executive Office that these handwritten notes cover a period of significant interest to the inquiry and it's plainly of concern if these are in fact missing".

She added: "It suffices to say that despite those notes having been found, and despite the sheer number of requests having been made, despite the fact that the TEO in fact told the inquiry that those notes weren't held, and despite the very specific questions that the inquiry asked about the precise circumstances in which notes like this could go missing, they weren't provided until after the opening had been given."

Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett said she was "very concerned" about what she had heard, and will consider whether her team will pursue it further.

"It's not a very happy picture," she added.

The current head of the NICS Jayne Brady is set to give evidence to the inquiry later.

The UK-wide inquiry arrived in Northern Ireland on Tuesday for three weeks of hearings in Belfast.

It is set to look in depth at the decisions taken in Northern Ireland.

This module will investigate the initial response, central government decision-making, political and Civil Service performance as well as the effectiveness of relationships with governments in the devolved administrations and local and voluntary sectors.

It will also assess decisions behind lockdowns and other non-pharmaceutical interventions.

It has so far heard from a number of senior civil servants, including former interim head of the NICS Jenny Pyper.

In a previous phase, the inquiry heard that some mobile phones which had belonged to former ministers had been wiped despite instructions to preserve communications for the hearings.

Ms Pyper gave evidence to the inquiry that she had handed in her work-issued laptop and mobile phone when she left the role in September 2021, and had not deleted any messages from them.

However Thursday's hearing was told she made a second statement in March to correct that.

She said she had deleted some material from her personal phone but also said what she deleted did not relate to the response of the government of Northern Ireland to the pandemic.

"I did not clear out all WhatsApps and messages on my personal phone, I deleted the exchange with Dr McCormick (senior official Andrew McCormick) because I believed I had shared some casual and off-hand comments on what was a personal communication channel, but I believed those comments on reflection were unprofessional," she told the inquiry.

"I don't believe that I consciously thought that those messages needed to be retained ... but I reflected that my communications with Dr McCormick had drifted towards the inappropriate.

"I did not clear out everything and a number of my exhibits confirm that there were other WhatsApps exchanged, very casual, especially when you read it now knowing what has happened in relation to the loss of information.

"I regret now that I deleted anything from my personal phone because I believe it could have given the impression that I had deleted more than I had."

The inquiry also heard that Ms Pyper's work-issued phone cannot be located.