Covid-19

Lord Mackay of Clashfern Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Con)]

My Lords, any decisions on relaxing the present restrictions and on research into treatments and vaccines are very difficult and therefore liable to give rise to differences of opinion, even among scientists and doctors. Will the Government do all in their power to reach agreement with the devolved Administrations on any decision on these subjects? Today, the Scottish Government published Coronavirus: Framework for Decision Making, a valuable aid to reaching the agreement I have mentioned.

[Lord Bethell]

I reassure my noble and learned friend that one of the most distinctive and reassuring aspects of the government response to Covid has been a very strong collaboration between the four nations. That has been epitomised by the strong relationship between the four CMOs, and operationally it has been given teeth by the presence of the devolved Administrations at COBRA meetings, which I attend.