Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to protect the elderly and the vulnerable in the run up to winter 2021-22.

The Government is committed to supporting the elderly and the vulnerable in society ahead of winter through offering a free seasonal flu vaccination to those over 65 years old and increased funding for National Health Service and adult social care services. We announced a further £6.6 billion funding for NHS services on 18 March 2021 and councils have access to £1 billion of additional funding for social care in 2021-22.

This year there is continued risk from COVID-19. Everybody in cohorts one to nine, which includes those aged 50 years old and over and the clinically vulnerable, have now been offered a COVID-19 vaccine and the Government has published guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable.