Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2021 to Question 62745 on Department of Health and Social Care: BGI Group, and with reference to the contract award National Microbiology Framework - Lot 1: Diagnostic Goods and Services published by the UK Health Security Agency (HSA), whether his Department has a direct working relationship, including on contractual or commercial terms, with the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) or any of its subsidiaries; and whether his Department has made an assessment of any potential security implications of the relationship between the HSA and the BGI.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.