Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the effect of covid-19 on (a) women (b) Black, Asian and minority ethnic people and (c) disabled people.

The COVID-19 outbreak is the biggest public health emergency in a generation. We are doing everything we can to tackle the pandemic and mitigate its impact on everyone, including women, black, Asian and minority ethnic people and disabled people.

On Wednesday 25 March, the Coronavirus Act 2020 was given Royal Assent. An impact assessment and Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) assessment was conducted in relation to the provisions contained in the Coronavirus Bill. The PSED requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities, including those with protected characteristics such as sex, ethnicity and disabilities. We will continue to consider the impacts on people with protected characteristics when considering how to implement policies using powers contained in the Act.