Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2020 to Question 34934 on Coronavirus: Disease and Control, and the SAGE paper entitled Potential impact of behavioural and social interventions on an epidemic of Covid-19 in the UK, for what reason at its 10 March 2020 meeting SAGE agreed a change in the age at which people would be asked to socially distance from 65 to 70.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is an advisory group. At its 10 March 2020 meeting, SAGE provided advice on enhanced distancing measures for vulnerable groups, based on consideration of the likely effectiveness of different options. This advice draws upon a range of inputs including modelling, clinical expertise and behavioural science, amongst others.