Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with public health stakeholders on ventilation in publicly provided spaces to reduce transmission of covid-19; what assessment he has made of the risks for people who are immunocompromised of covid-19 transmission in publicly provided spaces that operate without ventilation; if he will take steps to provide the funding and logistical support necessary to ensure the safe ventilation of publicly provided spaces; and if he will make a statement.

Representatives of NHS Test and Trace held a workshop on examining environmental innovations on 29 January 2021 where several technologies were presented by experts to an evaluation panel of public health stakeholders. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has ongoing discussions with a range of public health stakeholders on ventilation and other ways to ensure clean air in publicly provided spaces with regard to reducing transmission of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases.

Throughout the pandemic, Government advice and information has been informed by the best scientific evidence available from health agencies, academics, and experts as detailed in Living with COVID-19 guidance. People who are immunocompromised should follow Government advice from the Department and UKHSA for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk from COVID-19. This suggests continuing to wear a face covering in public spaces, practicing social distancing and reducing the amount of time spent in enclosed areas.

To address the risk of COVID-19 in public spaces, the Government has run public communications campaigns and published comprehensive business guidance on ventilation and fresh air. Government funding has also supported ventilation mitigations in education settings and enabled local authorities to use their allocations from the £60 million Adult Social Care Omicron Support Fund, to audit and improve fresh air in adult social care.