Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has to safeguard (a) hon. Members, (b) hon. Members' staff, (c) House staff and (d) children attending the Parliament’s nursery facilities during the covid-19 outbreak should the House of Commons agree to returning to a physical Parliament after the Whit recess.

The House Service is currently working in conjunction with Public Health England to ensure we meet the government guidelines to become a ‘Covid-19 secure’ workplace, and to build on our existing measures to ensure Members, Members’ staff and House staff working on the estate can do so safely. These include carrying out a Covid-19 risk assessment, which will also be carried out by the nursery provider. Where Members’ staff and those of the House can continue their work at home they are being encouraged to do so, with appropriate support provided. The Commission will be meeting to ensure that the appropriate level of services and safety measures are in place, should there be a return to physical-only proceedings after the Whitsun recess.