Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Social Care of 27 Oct 2022, Official Report, col. 494, what his Department's expected timetable is for the conclusion of work commissioned on the potential merits of guaranteeing the right to maintain contact in care settings; and whether he plans to publish the outcomes of that work.

The Government’s guidance states that every resident should be able to have at least one visitor in all circumstances. We are currently engaging with stakeholders and reviewing a range of options to avoid instances where residents are unable to receive visitors.