Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support is being made available to help the (a) elderly and (b) people deemed clinically vulnerable who may opt to voluntarily self-shield following Lancashire's move into Tier 3 covid local alert level.

National restrictions began in England from 5 November, which superseded additional guidance linked to the local COVID alert levels. Everyone in England, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, is required to follow the national restrictions, which have been set out by the Government and apply to the whole population.

The new information includes additional guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people, to help protect them from COVID-19. We will also write to individuals with a version of this guidance. These new shielding measures will apply nationally for four weeks up to 2 December. At the end of the period, we will look to return to a regional approach and will issue further guidance at the time.