Found: resources/files/responses/FoodretaildiversityplanNFSCallforEvidencefin.pdf xx https://www.nmtf.co.uk/coronavirus

Found: This is particularly 1 Mind (23rd April, 2020) Coronavirus Surveys: Week 2 Headlines: 23/04/2020.

Found: to accommodate rough sleepers, and to ensure that this is made public. 9 Mind (23rd April, 2020) Coronavirus

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring the Office for National Statistics to continue to publish covid-19 data.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The COVID-19 Infection Survey has provided vital information to inform critical Government decisions across the United Kingdom. This has shaped the response to the pandemic and made a great difference to our understanding of COVID-19.

As we have transitioned into Living with COVID-19 the approach to COVID-19 surveillance is being actively reviewed to ensure it is proportionate, cost effective and considered alongside how we monitor a range of other infectious diseases that present a similar threat.

The UK Health Security Agency will continue to publish regular reports on COVID-19 which will contribute to our situational awareness, these include our weekly surveillance reports, which provide data on infection rates and hospitalisation numbers. We also maintain the ability to track the latest variants through our genomics capabilities which assess the risks posed by different strains of the virus.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the Office for National Statistics’ surveillance of covid-19 infection rates has been paused.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The approach to COVID-19 surveillance is being actively reviewed to ensure it is proportionate, cost effective and considered alongside how we monitor a range of other infectious diseases that present a similar threat.

The UK Health Security Agency will continue to publish regular reports on COVID-19 which will contribute to our situational awareness. These include our weekly surveillance reports, which provide data on infection rates and hospitalisation numbers. We also maintain the ability to track the latest variants through our genomics capabilities which assess the risks posed by different strains of the virus.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the decision of the Office for National Statistics to end updates to its Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest insights publications as of 24 March 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will continue to publish regular reports on COVID-19 which will contribute to our situational awareness. These include weekly surveillance reports, which provide data on infection rates and hospitalisation numbers. UKHSA also maintains the ability to track the latest variants through its genomics capabilities, which assess the risks posed by different strains of the virus.

The approach to COVID-19 surveillance is being actively reviewed to ensure it is proportionate, cost effective and considered alongside how we monitor a range of other infectious diseases that present a similar threat.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact the decision to pause Office for National Statistics surveillance of covid-19 infection rates on immunocompromised people who use that data to determine which precautions to take.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The UK Health Security Agency will continue to publish regular reports on COVID-19, including weekly surveillance reports, which provide data on infection rates and hospitalisation numbers. UKHSA also maintains the ability to track the latest variants through their genomics capabilities which assess the risks posed by different strains of the virus.

We will continue to communicate to people most vulnerable to COVID-19 about available clinical interventions, including vaccination and treatments, as well as testing and public health advice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to provide funding for the Office for National Statistics covid-19 infection survey after March 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

We are currently considering next steps for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, which has been an important tool in developing our understanding of COVID-19. We appreciate the contributions made by members of the public who have participated in the survey.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of continuing the ONS Covid Survey; and what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on extending funding for the ONS Covid Survey beyond March 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care meets regularly with other Cabinet colleagues. We are currently considering next steps for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, which has been an important tool in developing our understanding of COVID-19. We appreciate the contributions made by members of the public who have participated in the survey.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Office of National Statistics on the funding of the Covid-19 Infection Survey beyond March 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Discussions are ongoing on the future funding of the COVID-19 Infection Survey beyond March 2023, we are considering all options.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2022 to Question 153746, on Coronavirus: Surveys, if he will publish the timetable for sharing information on polling commissioned by the Government at the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Cabinet Office is working with suppliers to finalise campaign evaluation reports. This is a complex process given the amount of data generated during the Covid-19 pandemic and we want to avoid any misleading publication of findings. We aim to begin publishing reports by the end of the year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help mitigate potential bias in the Covid-19 infection survey following its digitisation.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the digitisation of the Covid-19 Infection Survey on the level of responses.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Covid-19 infection survey is ending door-to-door testing.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to ensure that changes to the methodology of the Covid-19 infection survey will not impact the (a) validity and (b) scope of the results.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.

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 21 March 2022 to Question 140419, on Contact tracing: software, what the funding has been for the Office for National Statistics’ COVID-19 Infection Survey since its inception; what funding has been allocated for the continuing operation of that survey; if he will set out reasons for changes in funding allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Maggie Throup

In 2020/21, expenditure on the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey was approximately £401.9 million. Confirmed expenditure in 2021/22 is not yet available as it is currently being audited. The ONS’ funding allocation for 2022/23, excluding testing, is £268.1 million. A proportion of this funding will be paid directly to other service suppliers and this allocation does not include the costs of processing tests.

The scale of the survey is planned to be reduced by approximately 25% with 300,000 tests completed per month. The study will also transition to a more cost effective, transformed model guided by a framework of ‘digital-first with remote sampling’. The goal is to continue the provision of high-quality COVID-19 data and analysis, whilst significantly reducing costs and creating a more sustainable solution.