Coronavirus

Darren Jones Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

This is a really important point that I met the NHS to discuss specifically today. It is critical that we ensure that discharges are as fast as possible. That is important in normal times, but when large proportions of those in hospital could, with the right support, leave hospital and be in a setting that works for them in social care, we have to make sure that that happens. The extra funding will help with that, but it is not all about funding; a lot of it is about co-ordination, and people are working at their level best to try to make that happen.

[Darren Jones (Bristol North West) (Lab)]

Some parents are unsure whether to send their children to school when somebody in the family household is self-quarantined. Will the Secretary of State confirm what guidance has been given to schools to deal with what would normally be classed as unauthorised absences? Perhaps he will be able to alleviate some of the concerns from headteachers and indicate that Ofsted will take a lenient view of absence figures in later inspections.

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, Ofsted absolutely will take a lenient view of the impact of coronavirus on what happens in schools. When it comes to the broader point about what households should do when one person tests positive, that is of course something we are considering very closely. At the moment, the number of cases is at a level such that we can give individual advice to each household. It is likely that that will not be possible throughout this situation, so we will make sure that there is formal public guidance for everybody, so that everybody knows what to do.