Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) advice and (b) guidance provided by (i) the Chief Medical Officer and (ii) Public Health England that informed the decision that sporting arenas cannot currently accommodate spectators during the covid-19 outbreak.

As the Prime Minister set out in his statement to the House on 22 September (Official Report, col. 798), the spread of the virus is now affecting our ability to reopen large sporting events. If we open sporting arenas this will result in increased social contact in and around the arena and on public transport.

The evidence considered by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and used to support the Government response to COVID-19 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19