Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that immunological expertise is being used in his Department’s decision making.

The New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) is an expert committee of the Department which advises the Government. Members include those with expertise in immunology and serology all of whom advise the Chief Medical Officer and share information with the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

SAGE provide expert medical and scientific advice to the four United Kingdom Governments’ Chief Medical Officers who in turn advise the health and social care systems across the UK, the Government and agencies in all parts of the UK who are involved in responding to this outbreak.