Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May to Question 38420, what lessons resulted from Exercise Cygnus in relation to the importance of (a) personal protective equipment and (b) availability of intensive care beds in preparation for infectious disease outbreaks; whether those lessons were applied; and if he will make a statement.

The lessons identified from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by the Government and a range of stakeholders, including expert advisory groups and local emergency planners.

Working across Government and with stakeholders, the lessons from Exercise Cygnus and advice received since have informed our preparedness. Since Exercise Cygnus, health sector plans to surge and flex National Health Service systems and resources (including critical care) beyond normal operations have been strengthened and stockpiles of personal protective equipment specifically for an influenza pandemic have been kept under review.