Brexit Distracted U.K. From Preparing for Covid, Watchdog Says
- No-deal plans took up ‘significant time’ of key emergency unit
- National Audit Office criticises government in report
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The U.K. government’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit took “significant time and resources” away from planning for a potential pandemic, a major report found.
The National Audit Office said the government’s Civil Contingencies Secretariat -- responsible for coordinating the government’s emergency planning and response -- allocated more than half its staff to preparing for potential disruptions from a no-deal departure from the European Union, “limiting its ability” to focus on other risks.