Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the UK has withdrawn from the EU's Early Warning and Response System; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK's withdrawal from that system on efforts to coordinate a response to covid-19.

The United Kingdom uses a range of international information-sharing systems to monitor global health threats including the European Union’s Early Warning and Response System (EWRS). The UK has continued access to EWRS during the transition period, and we continue to share key updates with our European counterparts via this system, including on the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The UK remains committed to working with countries and partners from across the world to protect our citizens from new and emerging cross-border threats to health. As set out in the UK’s approach to the EU negotiations, we are open to exploring cooperation between the UK and EU on matters of health security.