Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the (a) TalkTalk 2015 data breach and (b) TalkTalk poor customer service rating were considered in the due diligence process before the appointment of former CEO Baroness Harding of Winscombe to lead the NHS Test and Trace system.

Baroness Harding was appointed to lead the programme of testing and tracing as part of the Government’s ongoing response to COVID-19 in line with the long-standing practice that Ministers can directly appoint individuals to undertake short-term pieces of work. Baroness Harding also holds public appointments as the Chair of NHS Improvement and a non-executive director of the Court of the Bank of England. In both cases, her skills and experience were independently assessed prior to appointment.