Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Care on 13 July 2021, Official Report, column 270, on what date work on the impact assessment for the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (a) began and (b) is due to be completed.

We began analysis on the impact of the proposal in May with the proposal subject to the final consultation analysis. The assumptions were adjusted to account for the extension of the proposal to cover all Care Quality Commission-registered care homes and all persons who enter a care home. Following the consultation we are continuing to conduct analysis on the likely impact on the behaviour of care home staff in response to the regulations.

The Government will be setting out analysis of the number of current staff who we estimate may not be vaccinated or exempt by the end of the 16-week grace period in an impact assessment to be published shortly.