Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that GPs do not charge patients for a letter to prove that they fall into the extremely vulnerable category in order for them to claim a refund under the terms of the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme for travel by taxi to their hospital appointments during the covid-19 outbreak.

Letters have been sent to patients identified as being at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. They are advised that they should shield at home until at least the end of June. There should not be a charge for patients receiving letters informing them they have been identified as extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.