Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many care homes run by private providers have been put under advanced surveillance for Infection Protection Control since 1 April 2020 (a) by region and (b) in England.

The Department does not currently hold data on the total number of care homes run by private providers which are being monitored for infection protection control since 1 April 2020 by region and in England.

On 15 May 2020, the Government published a support package for care homes backed by a £600 million Infection Control Fund. The package sets out the steps that are being taken to keep people in cares homes safe, and support that will be brought together across national and local government to help care providers put this into practice.

As part of the care home support package, the Government has asked local authorities to carry out a daily review of the local care market and take actions immediately where necessary to support them.

This is an unprecedented global pandemic, and we will continue to work closely with the sector to keep our policies and data under review as the pandemic goes on.