Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect on care homes of insurance companies refusing to provide insurance cover in relation to visits to care homes; and whether he has plans to publish an assessment on the effect of decisions made by insurance companies not to grant indemnity on care homes during the covid-19 pandemic.

We are aware that the adult social care insurance market is changing in response to the pandemic and recognise that some care providers may encounter difficulties as their policies come up for renewal. We are introducing temporary and targeted state-backed indemnity arrangements which will help fill gaps in commercial insurance cover and support care homes registered, or intending to register, as Designated Settings. These are care homes designated and assured by CQC for the discharge of COVID-19 positive individuals from hospitals.