Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make additional funding available for infection prevention control for care homes.

Through the Infection Control Fund the Government has provided over £1.1 billion of ring-fenced adult social care funding for infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in addition to the £4.6 billion that the Government has made available to local authorities to address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. Additionally, on 23 December, the Government announced an additional £149 million to fund costs associated with increased testing, to help ensure the safety of staff and residents.

The Government will continue to monitor pressures on the sector and will keep future funding under review.