SCOTLAND is to begin its own public inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic by the end of the year, the Scottish Government has confirmed. 

The proposed inquiry will be established in the coming months and will aim to scrutinise decisions taken in the course of the pandemic.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the judge-led inquiry would have a "person-centred, human rights-based" approach.

Campaigners welcomed the decision and pledged to seek answers for the families of those who died.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has committed to holding a UK public inquiry from spring 2022.

But Aamer Anwar, the lawyer for the Scottish chapter of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, urged Mr Johnson to bring this forward.

He said: "Boris Johnson should take note that his Government can no longer be allowed to hold the process back from asking difficult questions."

A draft of aims and principles for the Scottish inquiry was published today, with members of the public invited to comment until September 30.

Ms Sturgeon said it would look at all aspects of the devolved handling of the pandemic, including the impact on care homes.

She said it is for the chair of the inquiry to determine how it operates, but added that an indicative timeline may be provided.

Speaking at a briefing in Edinburgh, she said: "I can confirm it will be established by the end of this year, as promised, and it will take a person-centred, human rights-based approach."

Ms Sturgeon said Scotland's top prosecutor, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC, has begun discussions about appointing a judge to lead the inquiry.

And she said the Scottish Government would "liaise closely" with the UK Government and other devolved administrations on the likely terms of a UK-wide probe.

She said it would be "important to avoid duplication and overlap", but added: "However, the need for co-operation with other governments is not, in my view, a reason to delay the establishment of our own inquiry."

Elsewhere, the First Minister gave an assurance that the Scottish Government would comply fully with the inquiry after being challenged about its record of transparency.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the inquiry itself should have begun within the first 100 days of the reformed Scottish Government.

He said: "Despite promising the people of Scotland that a Scottish-specific inquiry was on the SNP's 100-day list, the SNP has shown that it simply is not a priority for them.

"They are dragging their feet, ignoring the pain of the grieving families and sacrifices of thousands of key workers.

"The SNP cannot hide behind Boris Johnson and claim that they have their hands tied by the absence of a four-nations inquiry."

Scottish Conservative health spokeswoman Annie Wells said: "It seems that the SNP will finally start listening to grieving families and respect the will of a Scottish Parliament vote last year, when the Scottish Conservatives won cross-party support for an urgent Scottish Covid inquiry.

"It's a disgrace that they are only getting around to this now, when Nicola Sturgeon promised it would be a priority during the election campaign.

"This inquiry must uncover what went wrong throughout the pandemic, especially in our care homes.

"Major errors were made by the SNP Government that left our most vulnerable citizens unprotected.

"We will be pushing the government to ensure this inquiry gets the answers that families deserve, and not more of the same SNP spin and secrecy as they've had so far."

Peter McMahon, who lost his wife Debbie at the age of 53 from coronavirus, was one of the campaigners who tearfully watched the First Minister announce the inquiry.

He said: "Thanks to Nicola Sturgeon and the rest of the Scottish Government for the decision they've made today, it's very welcome.

"My wife Debbie, along with thousands of others, died what I see as an avoidable death aged just 53.

"I would like this public inquiry to confirm who took certain decisions, clarify why they were taken, especially around the ending of shielding in July 2020."