Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his Answer of 18 January 2022 to Question 905095 on Care Homes: Visits, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to guarantee regular and safe visiting to (a) residents in care homes and (b) patients in hospitals.

We have no plans to bring forward legislative proposals. Decisions on how to facilitate visiting are best taken locally, in the context of national guidance. Care homes, National Health Service trusts or other NHS bodies should make an assessment in the context of local prevalence of COVID-19 and the specific design of their facilities.