Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to adopt the independent SAGE Group's proposed zero covid-UK strategy.

We are already undertaking a range of measures to tackle COVID-19, protect the National Health Service and help ensure that the country can return to normality as soon as possible.

To prepare the National Health Service for winter, the Government is providing an additional £3 billion of funding. This includes money to allow the NHS to maintain the Nightingale surge capacity and continue to use the extra hospital capacity available within the independent sector.

Effective local management of any outbreaks is the first line of protection against a second wave. To support local authorities, we have made £300 million available and they already have robust plans in place to respond to outbreaks.

NHS winter preparations include delivering a very significantly expanded seasonal flu vaccination programme for priority groups.