Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether cases of covid-19 at HMP Wakefield were included as part of the decision to place the Wakefield area in a tier 2 local covid alert level.

The decision to place the Wakefield area in to local Covid alert level 2 was based on an assessment of a number of factors including epidemiological analysis of the rates of COVID-19 across the population and in certain age groups. It also took account of pressures on the National Health Service across the system. The ‘R’ rate is still above 1, meaning infections, hospitalisations and deaths continue to double and the virus is now a national problem. From 5 November everyone must stay at home, with a limited set of exemptions. Non-essential shops, hospitality, leisure and entertainment venues will close, schools, colleges and universities will stay open and those needing treatment urged to continue using the NHS. Time limited restrictions are set to be eased on 2 December, going back to a regional approach according to the latest data.