Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that officials in his Department with underlying conditions that may make them vulnerable to covid-19 are identified; and if he will publish the processes his Department used to identify those officials.

My Department has co-ordinated a number of staff surveys as part of its COVID-19 response with some questions designed to identify those officials with underlying conditions who might be more vulnerable to COVID-19. A survey in April sought to understand the number of officials in the Department that personally identified as part of a vulnerable group. Responses were retained centrally for analysis and records purposes.

A follow-up survey was conducted during May in which staff were asked to tell us about any vulnerabilities that might prevent them from returning to the office at the present time. The Department’s absence records and monitoring procedures allow staff to record special paid leave which has been taken due to personal vulnerabilities to COVID-19. This information is being used to direct our response to COVID-19 and support staff and their managers.