Covid-19: Response

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bethell]

The noble Baroness is entirely right that the deaths of those with learning difficulties have been one of the most disturbing and sad aspects of this disease. We are focused very much on ensuring that we protect those with learning difficulties, such as those with autism, in whatever way we can. With regard to recurrent testing, the tests that we have are not a limitless resource and we have to prioritise them. Although we have massively increased the number of tests that we have, it is not possible to test millions of people on a very regular basis with hundreds of thousands of tests. However, we are using them intelligently and prioritising areas where there are infection control problems. We believe that that is the most effective way of using our resources.

[Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab)]

I want to return to the issue of face masks, which I have been raising with the Minister since early March. Are Ministers following the intense debate going on among a worldwide line-up of international experts, particularly virologists, who forcefully argue the need for their use? If Ministers are not, will they now ask their civil servants to dig out the hundreds if not thousands of articles and research papers written by those experts, which have convinced over 50 countries worldwide to introduce face masks on a mandatory basis? The position that we are taking looks increasingly ludicrous.