Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the responses to the covid-19 pandemic of locally-based public health approaches and central Government-managed programmes involving private sector contracts.

MHCLG is responsible for delivering a sustainable and resilient local government sector that delivers priority services and empowers communities, however this Department is not responsible for individual council functions such as those relating to health, education and culture. As such this Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the responses to the COVIID-19 pandemic of public health approaches, or central Government-managed programmes involving private sector contracts.

Local public health services are supported by the Public Health Grant. In 2021 to 2022 the total public health grant to local authorities will be £3.324 billion. The grant will be ring-fenced for use on public health functions. This may include public health challenges arising directly or indirectly from coronavirus (COVID-19).

Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2021-to-2022