Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Public Health England's report, Disparities in the risk and outcomes of covid-19, published in June 2020, what meetings he has had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department on conducting further research into adverse outcomes from covid-19; and whether those meetings included discussion on the the role of (i) obesity and (ii) diabetes and covid-19, and if he will make a statement.

Research (NIHR). The UK Research and Innovation-NIHR Rapid Response Rolling Call has funded a large post-hospitalisation study. The study, announced in July, will establish a The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had a number of meetings looking at research into outcomes of Covid-19 with Ministers across the Department, the Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officers and other Public Health England officials.

The Department invests over £1 billion a year in health and care research through the National Institute for Health national consortium and a research platform embedded within clinical care to understand and improve long-term outcomes for survivors following hospitalisation with COVID-19.