Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) change the rules on support bubbles and (b) permit individuals to visit both elderly parents in the same household to assist with their caring needs.

The Government regularly reviews its rules on social contact, assessing all restrictions to ensure that they continue to be necessary and proportionate. These decisions are based upon the best evidence available regarding their impact and effectiveness.

A support bubble is a close support network between a household of any size and a single occupancy adult and provide support for those that might be most isolated during the pandemic. Local restrictions provide an exemption to rules on household mixing for those providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person.