Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing routine screening for newly-arrived asylum seekers for antimicrobial resistant organisms.

The Government is committed to tackling antimicrobial resistance and reducing the risk of drug-resistant infections for all people. In 2019, the Government published a 20-Year Vision to effectively contain, control and mitigate antimicrobial resistance by 2040, and the first in a series of five-year national action plans to support the Vision is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/antimicrobial-resistance-amr-information-and-resources

Information for healthcare professionals on meeting the health needs of migrants is available in the Migrant Health Guide, which is produced by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/migrant-health-guide

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides guidance for healthcare professionals on managing infectious diseases in all migrants through the Migrant Health Guide. The guide provides detailed information on screening by infection type and is regularly reviewed. UKHSA also provides specific guidance on infectious diseases in the asylum seeker population, including information for testing for antimicrobial resistance in diphtheria cases is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/guidance/infectious-diseases-in-asylum-seekers-actions-for-health-professionals