Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2020 to Question 46754 on Children: Coronavirus, how many local authorities have used the flexible provisions on statutory duties for children’s social care under the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 since 18 May 2020.

The department is engaging with a range of stakeholders, including monthly calls with local authorities, to seek information on how the Adoption and Children (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 are being used. This process will inform my statement to Parliament on the Regulations before summer recess. The Regulations should only be used when absolutely necessary, and ongoing analysis indicates that they are being used infrequently.