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 the Office for National Statistics on the pause to the Covid-19 Infection Survey; what assessment he has made of the potential impact on his Department’s ability to ensure that policy across the Government on Covid-19 is driven by the latest data; how Covid-19 infection levels will now be monitored; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision on immunosuppressed people who rely on the survey to take decisions on which safeguards to use.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are reviewing their approach to COVID-19 surveillance, which includes discussions between UKHSA and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The UKHSA will continue to publish the latest data on COVID-19 through the weekly surveillance reports providing data on infection rates, hospitalisation numbers and vaccination uptake. We will maintain the ability to track the latest variants through our genomics capabilities, which assess the risks posed by different strains of the virus. These reports help inform current and future Government policy decisions.

UKHSA will confirm details of any new surveillance surveys that continue beyond 31 March 2023 in due course.

We will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.