Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the medical evidential basis was for his Department's guidance on children resident in households with clinically extremely vulnerable people that children should continue to attend school as normal during the covid-19 outbreak; and what assessment his Department has made of the covid-19 risk to clinically extremely vulnerable parents of their children attending school during the November 2020 lockdown restrictions.

A lack of schooling is known to have a negative impact on children, reducing their life chances and exacerbating physical and mental health issues. This was made clear by the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers in their statement on schools and childcare. Therefore, any decisions on children missing school need to be taken in light of this risk to their overall wellbeing. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that children are much less susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19. This has been detailed in the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ paper on children, schools and transmission.