Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the covid-19 restrictions in Wolverhampton announced on 22 September 2020; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is in constant and regular dialogue with local authorities and local Directors of Public Health about the situation across the different areas of England. This engagement and analysis by Public Health England and the Joint Biosecurity Centre ensure measures in all areas are being considered constantly. This allows timely local interventions to bring in stricter measures when needed, and also supports decisions about how and when areas will have restrictions loosened.

Wolverhampton has regulations to prevent household mixing in private homes and gardens because transmission was being driven by households meeting each other. We know that the virus is spread by people, particularly when they are in close proximity of each other, so these restrictions reduce that risk. From 14 October, the interventions in force in Wolverhampton will prohibit household mixing in any indoors venue but allow people to meet up in groups of no more than six people in outdoor venues including gardens.