Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions (a) he, (b) his Ministers, and (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and (ii) Sevenoaks District Council on continuing support for people on the shielded patient list when direct support from the Government ends in advance of the letter due to be sent out to those on that list in the week commencing 15 June 2020.

We have been working closely with councils and each local authority has a dedicated contact point in the shielding programme. Our South East Regional Team currently works closely with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, as well as Kent County Council and its lead District Council Tunbridge Wells. Officers from the team continue to speak with senior officers on matters regarding people who are shielding. This support will continue as the core offer to those shielding has been extended until the end of July.