Mark Sedwill has apologised for remarks where he suggested that chickenpox-style parties could be held for Covid early in the pandemic.

The former cabinet secretary and head of the civil service told the inquiry these were private exchanges and he never expected them to become public – but acknowledged the distress they caused.

Earlier in the inquiry, the PM’s then-closest adviser Dominic Cummings said Mr Sedwill made the comments in a meeting in March.

Ex-civil service chief apologises for ‘chickenpox party’ Covid remarks