Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the recent increase in cases of tuberculosis.

To support tuberculosis (TB) control in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England launched a collaborative TB Action Plan in July 2021. This has specific actions and measurable objectives to improve the prevention, detection, and control of TB in England. This action plan is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tuberculosis-tb-action-plan-for-england

The UKHSA and NHS England continue their work with partners to raise awareness of TB among vulnerable communities and healthcare professionals, to support early detection and diagnosis of TB. The measures identified in the action plan are currently being reviewed in the light of the current increase in cases, to ensure resources are focused on the actions with the highest benefit.