Wednesday 11th March 2020

(4 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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Yes. That is a really important point, and that will be part of the provision.

Dean Russell Portrait Dean Russell (Watford) (Con)
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I congratulate my right hon. Friend—[Interruption.]

Nigel Evans Portrait Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
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Order. The hon. Gentleman has been here throughout, and it is up to hon. Members to decide if they wish to catch my eye.

Dean Russell Portrait Dean Russell
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Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on this campaign, which has kept the level of conversation stable and consistent throughout. This week, sadly, we also had a constituent pass away at Watford General Hospital, and I pay tribute to the family and to the staff who work so hard.

My question is on the broader responsibility of this place, councils, local government and anybody in a public position. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the main message we need to get out is for people to remember that, on the frontline, the most important thing they can do is regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds? That is not much to ask of the general public, but it is the most frontline thing they can do to stop the spread.

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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That is incredibly important, and we have to keep reiterating it, even though we may have heard it a thousand times—I may have said it even more than that. Although there is a huge debate about coronavirus and what we can do as a country, there are some really simple things that are really effective.