Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will give priority access to personal protective equipment to people providing unpaid care in (a) the City of Durham and (b) England.

The Government recognises the crucial role unpaid carers play, especially during this difficult period. The Department is currently working with Public Health England to review the advice to unpaid carers on use of personal protective equipment.

On 8 April the Government published guidance for unpaid carers which provides general advice, including advice on infection control, links to other information and support, and advice on caring where someone has symptoms. This can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-providing-unpaid-care

The Government will continue to work closely with carer organisations and others to support unpaid carers during this period and beyond. This includes working with Carers UK to provide carers with practical advice which can be found at the following link:

https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19