Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of cases of monkeypox.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working with system partners to understand the transmission of monkeypox and which communities are affected. The UKHSA has published guidance to raise awareness and advise the public on symptoms and how to access the appropriate care. The UKHSA has worked with NHS England, local authority commissioners and sexual health services to ensure the effective identification and isolation of cases and issued recommendations on the use of vaccination for named close contacts of cases, which is now underway.

Registered medical practitioners in England now have a statutory duty to notify the local authority or health protection team of suspected cases of monkeypox, following regulations introduced on 8 June. When cases are confirmed, local health protection team is alerted and contact tracing and isolation guidance is issued.