Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

This is supposed to be an easy question, but actually my right hon. Friend is completely wrong. I would rather have the advice. I would rather go through 100 ideas, 99 of which we have already looked into, to find the one that we had not thought of than not be bombarded, so I ask him to send them on.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

Earlier this week, the Secretary of State told the House that the NHS requires more ventilators. He will be aware that two weeks ago today Italy had the same number of confirmed cases as we have, and he will also be aware of the great pressure that intensive care units and hospitals in Italy are under. Can he tell us whether the additional ventilators that he is seeking will arrive with the NHS in time to cope with any rapid increase in the number of critically ill patients who require breathing support?

[Matt Hancock]

I am afraid that is not how we are thinking about it, as that implies a perfect world in which things are available and not in demand around the world. Our approach to ventilators, and to staffing-up—obviously, we need trained staff to operate ventilators, or else they are dangerous—is to get our hands on as many as possible, and to train up as many people as possible. We think that we will need as many ventilators as we can get our hands on. There is no calculus of demand and availability; we are trying to buy as many as we can get hold of.

Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Monday 9th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

I am glad to say that the evidence so far indicates that there is not a particularly raised concern. Nevertheless, I entirely understand the level of worry that getting coronavirus might cause somebody who is pregnant, so we are researching this very carefully.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

A study of 52 critically ill patients at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan has found that more than two thirds required invasive breathing support, and last Monday, as the Secretary of State will know, the World Health Organisation urged all countries to stock up on ventilators. Given that around 5% of those with coronavirus might require critical care, what is his current best estimate of the number of ventilators that would be required to meet that demand, bearing in mind his earlier point about having sufficient staff to operate the ventilators?

[Matt Hancock]

I am very happy to write to the right hon. Gentleman with the specific answer to his question, but the general answer is more, and, frankly, as many as possible. We are buying ventilators—we have a commercial strategy on that—and, of course, we are training people to use them.

Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

My hon. Friend is completely right and, in fact, our no-deal planning and our no-deal stockpiles are playing an important part in making sure we are fully prepared and ready.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

On when to move to the delay phase, the Secretary of State said that he was

“mindful of scientific advice that reacting too early…carries its own risks”.

Could he set out for the House what those risks are?

[Matt Hancock]

I would highlight two. The first is that there is an economic and social impact of disruption; if an action has no medical benefit, there is no need for that disruption. The second is a medical risk. Behavioural science and experience from previous similar outbreaks shows that, if we ask people too early to do things that are disruptive to their normal life, they may try to return to normal earlier than they otherwise would. At the moment, the number of cases is relatively small. If we go into the reasonable worst-case scenario, it will rise sharply and be high for a number of weeks. We need to keep people doing the right, responsible thing over a period of weeks and, if we ask them to move too soon, they may question whether that advice was the right advice.

Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

Yes; they should make themselves known to the public health presence at the port, and of course they can call 111 from mobiles, too.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

We heard what the Secretary of State told the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Stephen Hammond) about a person who is self-isolating, keeping away from other family members, but what is the advice to the other family members about whether they should go about their normal business—go to work or go to school if they are children—in those circumstances?

[Matt Hancock]

Other family members who are asymptomatic should go about their normal business in the normal way. It is those who have tested positively who should self-isolate.

Wuhan Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, of course. Making sure that we have the equipment to keep our staff safe is a very important consideration—keeping medics safe is very important not only for them but for the public, because they provide such an important service.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State tell the House about the latest scientific advice he has had on when, as we all hope, a vaccine might be available?

[Matt Hancock]

The estimates vary and the answer is uncertain. There are promising signs of the very early stages of development seeing breakthroughs, but after the early stages of development, there need to be pre-clinical trials and then clinical trials to make sure that any vaccine is safe, especially given that—thankfully—the mortality rate from this coronavirus appears to be relatively low, at around 2%. Therefore, it is very important that a vaccine does not do more harm than good. I am pushing as fast as I can on the development of a vaccine, but I am also highly cognisant of the scientific advice and the need to ensure that it is safe.

Wuhan Coronavirus

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Thursday 23rd January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

My hon. Friend raises an important question. There are approximately 11 million people in Wuhan city, including British nationals. As far as we know, we have two UK staff in our consulate in Wuhan and 15 locally employed staff. Of course we are ensuring that they get all the support they need, and they are available to provide consular assistance to British nationals in Wuhan city.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

The House appreciates the fact that the Secretary of State has come here so promptly to make this statement. Of course we all hope that an outbreak here does not happen, but what is the current advice to members of the public about the use of face masks if it does? One thing about these outbreaks is that people look at what measures are being taken and what people are doing in countries where the disease has taken hold, and then ask the authorities here, “Why aren’t we doing the same?” It would be helpful to know this in anticipation; presumably it will come from guidance given by the chief medical officer.

[Matt Hancock]

That is right. We have well-established procedures for dealing with a potential outbreak such as this, be it of flu or a coronavirus. Our advice at the moment to the UK public is that the risk is low—of course we will keep that under review. We try very much only to put forward proposals that are clinically appropriate. The wearing of face masks is not deemed clinically necessary now. Of course we keep that under review, and we will be guided by the science.