Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to establish a taskforce to oversee the implementation of Exercise Pegasus findings.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has committed to communicating the findings and lessons of the exercise as recommended by the COVID-19 Inquiry, and a post-exercise report will be delivered in due course. The evaluation of Exercise PEGASUS is ongoing and once complete, recommendations will be generated. The implementation and appropriate governance of these recommendations and findings is being actively considered as part of the United Kingdom’s commitment to pandemic preparedness. Exercise PEGASUS has provided valuable experience which is being used to inform the pandemic preparedness strategy and response plans.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans are in place to monitor progress towards the recommendations arising from Exercise Pegasus.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has committed to communicating the findings and lessons of the exercise as recommended by the COVID-19 Inquiry, and a post-exercise report will be delivered in due course. The evaluation of Exercise PEGASUS is ongoing and once complete, recommendations will be generated. The implementation and appropriate governance of these recommendations and findings is being actively considered as part of the United Kingdom’s commitment to pandemic preparedness. Exercise PEGASUS has provided valuable experience which is being used to inform the pandemic preparedness strategy and response plans.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with pharmaceutical providers as part of Exercise Pegasus about procurement of testing for immunocompromised patients.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in the United Kingdom’s history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners in the pharmaceutical sector and focus groups on clinically vulnerable patient populations. These groups have included the views of mental health organisations and organisations advocating for immunosuppressed individuals.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with mental health bodies as part of Exercise Pegasus about impact on immunocompromised patients.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Exercise PEGASUS, the largest simulation of a pandemic in the United Kingdom’s history, involved thousands of participants across different parts of the exercise. Multiple other non-Governmental organisations representing the breadth of society were engaged and will continue to be in advance of phase four of the exercise in 2026. This includes engagement with partners in the pharmaceutical sector and focus groups on clinically vulnerable patient populations. These groups have included the views of mental health organisations and organisations advocating for immunosuppressed individuals.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they considered the impact of ongoing COVID-19 circulation on shielding immunocompromised patients as part of Exercise Pegasus.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The pandemic scenario designed in Exercise PEGASUS and given to participants was based on the emergence and spread of a novel pathogen and provided a realistic representation of its impact on the United Kingdom’s population, including those with existing conditions. The exercise included the circulation of existing pathogens such as COVID-19. Focus groups and surveys were carried out after each core exercise day to test the public reaction to the decisions taken by officials and ministers, and respondents were drawn from a broad cross-section of society, including those who were immunocompromised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether Exercise Pegasus assessed the adequacy of government communication with clinically vulnerable populations during health emergencies.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Exercise PEGASUS rigorously tested communications capabilities, which included testing communications from Government and public health bodies to clinically vulnerable populations. Officials used behavioural science insights to segment audiences based on a variety of factors, and developed tailored, accessible messaging for these groups. This will be considered in the evaluation of the exercise.

Organisations who advocate for clinically vulnerable patient groups were also engaged through focus groups, which sought perspectives on the outcomes of the exercise. These insights will contribute towards the exercise report.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to assess whether students arriving in the United Kingdom from Gaza have expressed support for Hamas or any other proscribed organisation operating in the Gaza Strip.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

All visa applicants are required to provide their biographic and biometric data to enable a range of security checks to be completed, including criminality checks.

Robust security checks are being undertaken on all individuals who enter the UK through the process to support eligible students to exit Gaza. Biometrics are collected as part of the visa application process and prior to travel to the UK.

The Home Office uses various tools to detect and disrupt travel by terrorists, by criminals and by individuals excluded from the UK; previously deported from the UK; or using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. This includes the use of domestic and international watchlists. The Home Office works with both law enforcement and wider government partners to ensure appropriate action is taken before travel or at the border when individuals of concern are identified. It would not be appropriate to provide further information about the nature and scope of security checks.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 14 May (HL7072), whether (1) garden sheds, (2) conservatories, (3) fish ponds, and (4) garden gnomes, within the curtilage of a domestic dwelling, are deemed to be a material consideration by the Valuation Office Agency when a property is valued for council tax in (1) England, and (2) Wales, including when valuing homes under the high value council tax surcharge.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are developing their approach to the targeted revaluation and will set out more details in due course, following the outcome of the Government's consultation.

In general, when valuing domestic properties, the VOA uses modern technology and industry standard techniques combined with freely available information including sales data, property attribute details and government records.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the high value council tax surcharge valuations by the Valuation Office Agency will include (1) drive-by site visits, or (2) site visits within the curtilage of the dwelling, by valuation staff.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are currently developing their approach to the targeted revaluation and will set out more details in due course, following the outcome of the Government's consultation.

In general, when valuing domestic properties, the VOA uses modern technology and industry standard techniques combined with freely available information including sales data, property attribute details and government records.