Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department and the UK Health Security Agency have made of the potential merits of promoting targeted hygiene in workplaces and public spaces as a means of reducing the spread of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

The Department and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recognise that effective infection prevention and control measures play an important role in reducing the transmission of infectious diseases in workplaces, public spaces, and other community settings. Current evidence continues to support targeted, risk-based hygiene measures as an effective means of reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF's guidelines highlight the role of hand hygiene in community environments, including public and institutional settings, and in reducing diarrhoeal disease and acute respiratory infections. These objectives are consistent with existing Government policies to prevent and control infections and support public health.