Cabinet Secretary Simon Case likely to take more time off work because of a health issue after being unable to give evidence to the Covid Inquiry

• Simon Case had been expected to return to give evidence in a few weeks 

Westminster’s most senior civil servant is likely to have to take more time off work because of a health issue.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has been unable to give evidence to the Covid Inquiry due to the matter but had been expected to return in a few weeks.

However, this could be further delayed due to the ongoing private medical matter.

New documents shared with the inquiry reveal that he will not be able to participate for some weeks. He is expected to return to work in January, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Key participants in the Covid Inquiry have been briefed about the Cabinet Secretary’s health, given the ongoing postponement of his evidence session.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has been unable to give evidence to the Covid Inquiry due to the matter but had been expected to return in a few weeks

Key participants in the Covid Inquiry have been briefed about the Cabinet Secretary’s health, given the ongoing postponement of his evidence session. Pictured: Chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty giving evidence at the Covid Inquiry on Tuesday

Although he has not yet given evidence in person, Mr Case has already come up in the inquiry through WhatsApp messages it has published.

In messages from September 2020, the top civil servant told colleagues Boris Johnson ‘cannot lead’ and ‘changes strategic direction every day’.

The inquiry, which is examining the government’s handling of the pandemic, is currently on its second module, looking at UK decision-making and political governance.

While Mr Case is on leave, his role has been divided between several other senior civil servants, including Emma Churchill, who was pictured in the first photograph of Rishi Sunak’s new Cabinet last week.

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