The UK has recorded 11 more coronavirus deaths and more than 2,200 new cases.
This brings the nation's death toll to 127,640. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have been 152,000 coronavirus deaths registered in the UK.
The death toll over the past seven days has fallen from 90 to 70 - 22.2 per cent less than the previous seven days.
The Government also said that, as of 9am on Wednesday, there had been a further 2,284 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.
It brings the total to 4,441,975.
It comes as Boris Johnson announced that the Government will set up an independent public inquiry with statutory powers into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister told MPs the inquiry, which was welcomed by some bereaved families, will begin in spring 2022 and will place “the state’s actions under the microscope”.
The inquiry will be able to take oral evidence under oath, he said, adding that the state has an obligation “to learn every lesson for the future”.
It follows a damning report from the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), said a quicker international response could have stopped the 2019 Covid-19 outbreak in China becoming a global catastrophe.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Johnson outlined the impact of the pandemic so far and added: “Amid such tragedy the state has an obligation to examine its actions as rigorously and as candidly as possible, and to learn every lesson for the future – which is why I’ve always said when the time is right there should be a full and independent inquiry.
“So, I can confirm today that the Government will establish an independent public inquiry on a statutory basis, with full powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 – including the ability to compel the production of all relevant materials and take oral evidence in public under oath.”
He said devolved administrations would be consulted before the final scope of the inquiry was published.
