Covid-19: R Rate and Lockdown Measures Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19: R Rate and Lockdown Measures

Robert Courts Excerpts
Monday 8th June 2020

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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The hon. Gentleman asks an extremely reasonable question, and I hope that he sees that the Government have been incredibly front-foot about ensuring that that sort of provision is available and has been available right from the start of this crisis. We have one of the most generous schemes in the world.

Robert Courts Portrait Robert Courts (Witney) (Con)
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I, too, would like to pay tribute to all the many carers throughout the country—people who are just relatives, but who are looking after someone through love and are unpaid for that. Because they do not see themselves as carers, they often do not have the information that they might otherwise need. Will my right hon. Friend see if there is anything more he can do to work with colleagues in councils and of course the relevant Departments to ensure that those carers have access to everything they need, because carers are a massively important part of making sure that the R rate is controlled?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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Yes. I think the whole House will join me and my hon. Friend in thanking all carers, paid and unpaid, in this Carers Week. This Carers Week is so different from normal because of what has happened during coronavirus. One of the things we have seen during coronavirus is that people have got together to celebrate and thank our carers right across the board. He is absolutely right to raise the point that he does, and I will certainly look into it.