Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2022 to Question 92912 on Department for Education: Telephone Services, how many full-time equivalent staff were available to answer calls to that number in each week from 1 October to 30 November 2021.

In October 2021, there were 32 full time equivalent staff available to answer calls to the department's COVID-19 helpline each week.

In November 2021, there were 18 full time equivalent staff available to answer calls to the department's COVID-19 helpline each week.

The reduction in staffing during November was a temporary measure in response to a reduction in call volumes to our helpline, the staff were redeployed to support a priority business requirement in another part of the department whilst call volumes remained low.