Social Distancing: 2 Metre Rule Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Social Distancing: 2 Metre Rule

Clive Efford Excerpts
Monday 15th June 2020

(3 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Edward Argar Portrait Edward Argar
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I am happy to give my hon. Friend the assurance she seeks. We are very much aware that time matters, and this review is being conducted as swiftly and as rigorously as it can be.

Clive Efford Portrait Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab)
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Before it is safe to reduce the 2 metre rule, do we not require a world-beating track and trace system to be in place? And does a world-beating track and trace system not require a fully functioning app?

Edward Argar Portrait Edward Argar
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As I have set out, I believe we have made an extremely strong and successful start with our track and trace system. Baroness Harding, who is heading up that piece of work, has made it clear that the app is important but that it is, as she characterised it, the cherry on the cake. It is not essential to the effective system that we have already got up and running.