Oral Answers to Questions

David Amess Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Helen Whately]

The Secretary of State has regular meetings with stakeholders about the future of mental health.

[Sir David Amess (Southend West) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to improve public health protection.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

On 18 August, I announced the establishment of a brand-new organisation to provide a world-leading approach to public health protection and resilience, the National Institute for Health Protection. It will bring together the health protection expertise of Public Health England, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and NHS Test and Trace under unified leadership and will start work immediately so as to boost the UK’s ability to deal with covid-19.

[Sir David Amess]

Everyone accepts that my right hon. Friend’s priority at the moment is fighting the invisible enemy, but with winter approaching many people will be worried about the threat of flu, so will he tell the House if there are any special arrangements for those people who want the vaccine? Does he have any further news about the reopening of all GP surgeries?

[Matt Hancock]

The flu vaccination programme this year will be the biggest in history. As I was going to say in my statement—I will say it now for my hon. Friend—we will be putting before the House proposals to expand the number of NHS qualified clinicians who can administer vaccinations, whether for the flu programme, which is coming, or for a covid vaccination programme, should a covid vaccine come out.