Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2020 to Question 41421 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, whether he has set a deadline for the MAKE team and NHS England to report to him on the gender appropriateness of PPE; and if he will make a statement.

We are clear frontline staff should have the equipment they need to do their job safely. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed to be unisex and offer protection for both genders, though some products are available in different sizes to enable fit to both smaller and larger frames. Getting a spread of the types of PPE staff require is of paramount importance, and our buying teams are aware of the different categories to buy against including sourcing as many different sizes as possible. While a specific deadline has not yet been set, both the MAKE team and NHS England are looking specifically at the gender appropriateness of PPE. The United Kingdom PPE guidance is written with NHS leaders and agreed by all four Chief Medical Officers, in consultation with medical royal colleges. The World Health Organization has confirmed it is consistent with what it recommends in circumstances and settings with the highest risk of transmission.