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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the Government is advertising COVID-19 Marshal roles with contracts running in excess of six months beyond the end of the final step of the Government’s roadmap for the easing of covid-19 restrictions.

COVID-19 Secure Marshals or their equivalents are employed by local authorities, not central government.

The Government has provided £400 million of funding to local authorities through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) to manage the pandemic at the local level. The funding can be used on a range of activities that support the management of local COVID-19 outbreaks including COVID-19 compliance and enforcement activity, such as the hiring of COVID-19 Secure Marshals or their equivalents. Local authorities have played an integral role in the nation’s pandemic response and have the expertise and understanding to inform what activities will best manage COVID-19 in their local areas.