Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will respond to the open letter published on by the British Medical Journal on 23 June 2020 on a potential second wave of covid-19 in the UK.

We have been clear that we will continue to be guided by the latest scientific advice and will give the National Health Service whatever it needs, as we have done throughout this unprecedented pandemic.

Thanks to the dedication of NHS staff, hospitals have not been overwhelmed and intensive care capacity continues to meet the needs of patients.

Effective local management of any outbreak is the first line of protection against a second wave. In the event the local response is not sufficient to contain outbreaks, the Government would reintroduce measures if necessary, to contain the virus and stop it spreading to the wider population.