Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice and guidance his Department took into account in relaxing Ebola screening at UK airports and international rail terminals.

The Government receives expert advice from Public Health England (PHE) and the Chief Medical Officer on the appropriate public health measures to be taken in relation to Ebola. Based on a recent PHE risk assessment the Government took the decision to focus screening at Heathrow and Gatwick, where more than 90% of relevant passengers enter the United Kingdom, including 97% of higher risk workers. Outside London, PHE has put in place robust systems developed with PHE local health protection teams to provide proportionate, risk-based screening locally. Using these measures, all passengers who present for screening from countries where there is sustained community transmission of Ebola continue to have a formal risk assessment. A copy of the risk assessment is attached and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/437990/PHE_Risk_Assessment_Update_7_FINAL.pdf