Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance his Department has provided to defence contractors on whether their employees should (a) install, (b) use or (c) remove the NHS covid-19 app on their mobile phones.
Answered by James Heappey
We have not provided specific advice to contractors relating to the NHS COVID-19 app, but we are encouraging contractors to adhere to all Government advice, and we continue to signpost all relevant guidance to our suppliers.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason (a) supermarkets and (b) petrol stations are not required to use the NHS QR Code for track and trace.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is a higher risk of transmitting COVID-19 in premises where customers and visitors spend a long time in one place and potentially come into sustained, close contact with other people outside of their household such as pubs, bars and restaurants and close contact services. There is a lower risk where services are taken off site immediately.
In supermarkets, customers generally move around the space rather than congregate, and are expected, by law, to wear face coverings. QR code posters for NHS Test and Trace are therefore not required for the entrance to a supermarket or other retail outlet. Venues that are not required by law to display a National Health Service QR code poster may still choose to do so as part of the effort to fight coronavirus.
Further guidance, including a full list of establishments that must request contact details from staff, customers and visitors, and display an official NHS QR code poster is published at the following link:
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the findings of the covid-19 contact tracing app trials that took place in (a) Newham and (b) the Isle of Wight; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will publish an evaluation of the Isle of Wight and Newham findings in due course.
Asked by: Imran Ahmad Khan (Independent - Wakefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been advised to self-isolate via the NHS covid-19 app in Wakefield constituency since that app was launched.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We do not hold data on how many app users have been advised to self-isolate in Wakefield constituency since the app was launched.
Asked by: Imran Ahmad Khan (Independent - Wakefield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have entered into the NHS covid-19 app that they are suffering from covid-19 symptoms in (a) Wakefield constituency, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) England.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We currently publish data on the number of app downloads.
Work is underway to establish what additional information can be published about app usage bearing in mind that app users are anonymous. We are considering the possibility of providing data related to how many people have reported symptoms via the app.
We will not be able to provide app-related data by constituency as the app only asks users to provide the first half of their postcode.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will prioritise the further development and deployment of a personal covid-19 risk calculator through the NHS App which takes into account an individual’s (a) age, (b) co-morbidities, (c) occupation, (d) household size, (e) deprivation, (f) ethnicity, (g) Body Mass Index, (h) blood group and (i) any other factors; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The app is designed to the highest standards of data privacy and data security and does not collect any personal information.
We will continue to evaluate the app and improve it in response to feedback.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure a high download and usage rate of the covid-19 contact tracing app.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The more people who use the NHS COVID-19 App, the better it works therefore we are aiming for mass adoption. We will ensure a strong focus on building trust and coverage in communities that are at greater risk from COVID-19 and/or are currently less likely to engage with NHS Test and Trace.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to modify the NHS covid-19 app to ensure that the app is compatible with phone handsets that are unable to run the iOS 13.5 software.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Test and Trace app requires users to be owners of smartphones that are able to use Apple iOS 13.5 and above and Android Marshmallow and above. This is because the app needs the Exposure Notification framework developed by Apple and Google, which is only available in these versions.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure equitable access to contact tracing for people who do not have a smartphone after the Covid-19 contact tracing app is launched on 24 September 2020.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service COVID-19 app requires users to be owners of smartphones that can install Apple iOS 13.5 and above and Android Marshmallow and above. This is related to the hardware needed for this Bluetooth technology to work effectively and is the same in all countries with apps using the Google and Apple exposure notification API for contact tracing.
People who do not have a compatible smartphone will still benefit from other people downloading the app. This is because people who use the app will help to break chains of transmission.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the NHS covid-19 app to ensure that it works with (a) a wider range of mobile phones and (b) older operating systems.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Health Service COVID-19 app requires users to be owners of smartphones that can install Apple iOS 13.5 and above and Android Marshmallow and above. This is related to the hardware needed for this Bluetooth technology to work effectively and is the same in all countries with apps using the Google and Apple exposure notification API for contact tracing.
People who do not have a compatible smartphone will still benefit from other people downloading the app. This is because people who use the app will help to break chains of transmission.
The app complements regular contact tracing. They work together to protect vulnerable groups, including those who are unable, or do not wish to, use digital tools.