Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Wirral Council on the implementation of the test and trace system for covid-19.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has appointed Minister Nadine Dorries to lead on engagement with local authorities, alongside Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds Council.

We have met with local authorities multiple times. Tom Riordan has held three calls with all local authority leaders, Chief Executives and Directors of Public Health, to which those from Wirral were invited to take part and ask questions. We also attend a Local Outbreak Planning National Advisory Board, chaired by the Chairman of the Local Government Association.

This is in addition to two calls with Local Resilience Forum (LRF) chairs, including representatives from Merseyside Resilience forum, the LRF that covers the Wirral.

We are looking to continue engaging regularly with all councils, including the Wirral.