Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the statement made by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer on 11 October that "we are at a tipping points similar to where we were in March", and (2) the efficacy of the measures they have taken since then to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government welcomes the honest and impartial view of senior medical and scientific advisers. Throughout this crisis, they, and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, have provided robust scientific evidence and advice to guide decisions regarding the measures taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has also undertaken significant wider analysis and evaluation to inform decisions. This analysis includes consideration of economic impacts, the level of compliance with measures, amount of enforcement needed and impacts felt by local authorities.

The measures taken have been effective at slowing the virus while balancing the need to protect the economy. Ahead of what will be a challenging winter, the Government will continue to take swift action to combat the spread of the virus.