Covid-19: Response

Lord Woolley of Woodford Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Woolley of Woodford (CB)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement, which I read. I also listened with great interest to the discussion this morning about the devastating impact that Covid-19 is having on members of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, particularly those who work in hospitals and care homes. From that discussion, I reiterate the ask from the noble Baroness, Lady Hussein-Ece, to the Minister to meet with black and minority ethnic leaders to discuss a government Covid-19 race equality strategy. It is not just the immediacy of the life and death matters that we are confronting; we face an economic downturn the likes of which we have not seen for 300 years. Unless we have an action plan and acknowledge the challenges, those communities, which are already at a disadvantage, could face a further penalty and devastation, and that must not happen.