Coronavirus

Debbie Abrahams Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State clarify a point that was made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on Monday? She said that social security claimants who were due to take a work capability or work-related activity assessment would not have their social security support stopped, but those claimants were omitted from the group that the Chancellor talked about in the Budget statement, so will the Secretary of State clarify who is right? Will he also make sure that information is available for the deaf and the visually impaired? There is a gap in the information in that respect.

[Matt Hancock]

On the latter point, I entirely agree, and it goes with the earlier point about communications in foreign languages. On the first point, I will ensure that the Work and Pensions Secretary writes to the hon. Lady with the answer.