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Covid-19

11 May 2020

Lead MP

Penny Mordaunt

Debate Type

General Debate

At a Glance

Penny Mordaunt raised concerns about covid-19 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Penny Mordaunt

Opened the debate

Minister Mordaunt opened the debate by discussing the challenges posed by the pandemic, highlighting both the sacrifices made by individuals and communities and the resilience of the NHS. She emphasised the need for unity in addressing the crisis and acknowledged the support provided to businesses and critical workers. The Minister also stressed the importance of ensuring frontline workers have adequate equipment and praised volunteers who stepped up during the crisis.

Penny Mordaunt Con

Rochford and Southend East

The UK has faced its biggest challenge in a generation, with no prior knowledge of when or what form it would take. Despite this uncertainty, the response has been overwhelming and united, with millions stepping up to support health services, critical workers, and communities. The pandemic highlighted the importance of our national healthcare system and the resilience of British people. However, it also exposed structural weaknesses in social care, supply chains, and mental health support. Minister Mordaunt emphasised the need for continued unity and collaboration across sectors to address ongoing challenges and seize new opportunities.

Rachel Reeves Lab

Leeds West and Pudsey

Reeves criticises the Government's handling of recent lockdown easing announcements, highlighting inconsistencies and lack of clarity. She emphasises the profound social costs of the pandemic, particularly for those unable to see loved ones or face risks in returning to work. Reeves stresses the need for a coherent strategy across all nations, especially considering cross-border issues like Northern Ireland and its relationship with the Republic of Ireland. She calls for a national safety standard for workplaces and continued support for key workers, especially those who are underpaid and undervalued. The speech also points out deep inequalities exposed by the crisis, advocating for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities and a public inquiry into disproportionate risks faced by black and minority ethnic Britons. Reeves highlights ongoing issues with testing capacity and trace strategy, urging the Government to address these before further easing lockdown measures.

Philippa Whitford SNP

Central Scotland

Dr Whitford criticised the UK Government for failing to adequately prepare for the pandemic despite warnings on the risk register, and highlighted issues with PPE supply and testing. She also emphasised the need for strong public health measures to prevent a second surge of infections and argued against prematurely easing lockdown restrictions without sufficient safety measures in place.

Jeremy Hunt Con

Godalming and Ash

Supports the Government’s cautious approach to lifting lockdown but criticises the scientific advice received by Ministers. Highlights that Asian countries like Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan handled the pandemic more effectively due to their focus on testing, tracking, and tracing. Criticises SAGE for not modelling test, track, and trace as a viable option early in the pandemic and advises publishing its advice including dissenting views.

Jon Trickett Lab

Normanton and Hemsworth

Raises concerns about industrial disease compensation for former workers affected by the virus. Emphasises the heroism of key workers, many from post-industrial communities, who suffered under austerity but maintained essential services during the pandemic. Advocates for a new economic and social settlement focused on health rather than wealth.

Desmond Swayne Con

New Forest West

Questions whether Professor Neil Ferguson's advice from Imperial College London influenced the lockdown decision, citing peer criticism of his models. Highlights the significant economic damage caused by the lockdown and urges for clarity on which scientific advice was followed.

Clive Efford Lab

Eltham and Chislehurst

Critiques the Government's handling of PPE, testing, and lockdown decisions. Questions why the UK ignored early warnings from other countries, delayed critical guidance for care homes, and failed to secure a domestic supply of PPE. Expresses frustration with inconsistent testing targets and criticises the rushed approach to lifting lockdown.

Julian Knight Con

Solihull

The Government's support for businesses in the DCMS sectors, though welcome, does not reach freelancers and organisations due to bureaucratic challenges. Charities face a shortfall of £4 billion over three months and need a separate job retention scheme and stabilisation fund. The charitable sector should be supported to continue its vital work.

Gill Furniss Lab

Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Issues with the free school meal voucher scheme have left many students without meals, despite schools' efforts to process applications. Women in care roles face low pay and employment uncertainty due to childcare sector funding issues. A comprehensive gender impact assessment is needed to ensure women are not left behind economically. The Government must clarify guidance for vulnerable individuals.

Steve Brine Con

Winchester

Supporting the Prime Minister's statements on learning to live with risk while exercising judgment, emphasising flexibility in the furlough scheme to avoid a cliff edge. New self-employed workers and those earning over £50,000 are not eligible for support. Flexibility is needed regarding sectors affected by lockdown easing, particularly hospitality businesses. The Royal Hampshire County Hospital has shown remarkable progress on delayed discharges and must continue this integrated approach.

Stephen Doughty Lab Co-op

Cardiff South and Penarth

Expressed concern about the Prime Minister's confusing approach to social distancing measures compared to other UK nations, emphasising the need for clear communication with constituents. Criticised the lack of clarity on border control measures and questioned why such measures were not introduced earlier, highlighting potential risks from international travel before lockdown. Asked for a scientific basis for decision-making.

Andrea Leadsom Con

South Northamptonshire

Acknowledged the challenges of balancing lives saved with livelihoods protected. Emphasised the opportunity to make flexible work and green economy initiatives the gold standard for future economic recovery, citing potential benefits in productivity, workforce diversity, and environmental impact.

Claire Hanna SDLP

Belfast South and Mid Down

She echoed the importance of community solidarity during the crisis, highlighting concerns about Northern Ireland's devolution status and the impact of Brexit. She emphasised the need for data sharing protocols across the island of Ireland to manage the pandemic effectively, criticised austerity measures as a response to economic recovery, and pointed out systemic failures in welfare systems.

Andrew Murrison Con

South West Wiltshire

He welcomed the Government's plan for tackling the virus, praising the construction of Nightingale hospitals and advocating for continued preparedness for future pandemics. He raised concerns about outsourcing and suggested focusing on practical measures like test, track and trace rather than just monitoring R values. Murrison also highlighted the importance of addressing the virus in care settings.

Rupa Huq Lab

Ealing Central and Acton

She emphasised the multi-dimensional impact of the pandemic and called for engagement with unions, residents, and contractors to address social distancing issues. Huq also criticised misinformation and highlighted disparities in death rates among BME communities and transport workers. She advocated for extending support schemes like furloughing and warned against using them as a cover for company restructuring.

Stephen Hammond Con

Wimbledon

Commends the Prime Minister for his cautious approach to easing restrictions and supports increased testing. Highlights the importance of integrating social care with healthcare, reducing response times for tests, and improving temperature screening measures. Emphasises the need to wind down economic support packages cautiously as restrictions ease.

Sammy Wilson DUP

East Antrim

Expresses sympathy towards those affected by the pandemic and welcomes the Government's measures but criticises Ireland for not consulting Northern Ireland. Highlights the importance of a UK-wide approach to dealing with the virus and easing lockdown restrictions.

Heather Wheeler Con

South Derbyshire

Praises community efforts in South Derbyshire during the pandemic, highlighting local volunteers and initiatives such as face visor production. Expresses condolences for those who have died from the virus locally and asks the Paymaster General to support a memorial campaign at the National Arboretum commemorating essential key workers.

Giles Watling Con

Clacton

Watling thanked his constituents for acting responsibly during the lockdown and acknowledged the work of local police, medical frontline workers, and care homes in protecting vulnerable populations. He noted that Clacton's large retired population makes it particularly susceptible to infection and urged caution before reopening. Watling also highlighted the importance of supporting local businesses, especially in tourism and theatre, as they recover from the pandemic.

Munira Wilson Lib Dem

Twickenham

Wilson criticised the Government's response to the social care sector during the pandemic. She pointed out that low-paid workers and care staff are disproportionately affected by covid-19 deaths, with social care being an afterthought in initial planning stages. She questioned the delay in providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing for social care providers and raised concerns about the mental health impact on frontline staff.

Graham Brady Con

Altrincham and Sale West

Brady welcomed the shift towards trusting people's common sense and responsibility in easing lockdown measures. He highlighted the importance of safe practices for employers, transport providers, and individuals to prevent virus spread as restrictions ease. Additionally, he raised concerns about the proposed 14-day quarantine period for returning passengers, particularly its impact on the aviation industry and job security within it.

Mark Pritchard Con

The Wrekin

Praising the Government's support for businesses in Shropshire, Telford and The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard raises concerns over potential fraud and inefficiencies within schemes like the furlough scheme. He also calls for financial support to be cascaded down to town and parish councils and suggests that quarantine measures should be reviewed regularly with a sunset clause.

Robbie Moore Con

Keighley and Ilkley

Thanking the Government for its comprehensive support packages, Robbie Moore acknowledges the assistance provided to businesses and individuals in his constituency. He highlights the need for additional support for charitable tourism attractions and organisations helping vulnerable groups. Moore also praises local volunteers and critical workers for their dedication during the crisis.

Mike Hill Lab

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland

Expresses condolences to families who have lost loved ones due to the pandemic, praises frontline NHS workers for their efforts in saving lives, criticises the lack of PPE at the beginning of lockdown, highlights the rising death rate in care homes, expresses concern about relaxing lockdown measures before it is safe, raises concerns about people's ability to return to work safely.

Theresa Villiers Con

Chipping Barnet

Highlights the need for a high priority on stopping virus spread in care homes to protect vulnerable residents and prevent further infection. Urges the government to ensure no patient is discharged from hospital into a care home unless they have been tested as negative for covid-19, calls for regular testing of staff and patients, urges quick lifting of lockdown measures to revive economy.

Nick Smith Lab

Blaenau Gwent

Discusses the devastating effect of COVID-19 on care homes in his constituency, questions whether processes were in place at the start of the outbreak to protect residents and staff, calls for better accountability structures, demands daily updates on deaths in individual care homes, pays tribute to care workers risking their lives.

Greg Clark Con

West Suffolk

Clark emphasises that data from testing is crucial for understanding the spread of the virus and making informed decisions. He criticises the Government's approach to testing, highlighting that while South Korea rapidly increased its testing capacity, the UK initially took a different path, resulting in fewer tests per day compared to other countries. Clark points out that this lack of data has led to policy decisions being made with limited information, which is detrimental during a pandemic.

Caroline Lucas Green

Brighton Pavilion

Lucas asserts the need for constructive criticism alongside telling the truth about the Government's handling of the crisis. She identifies critical failures in planning and execution due to austerity measures, fragmentation, and ignoring evidence. She advocates for a decentralized track-and-trace operation led by local public health professionals rather than private sector companies. Additionally, Lucas calls for improvements in economic support schemes for businesses and flexibility in furloughing policies as the economy reopens. Finally, she emphasises the need for a green recovery plan that tackles inequality and supports job creation while aligning with climate commitments.

David Davis Con

Goole and Pocklington

Davis criticised the government's handling of the pandemic, particularly focusing on the strategy to protect NHS capacity. He questioned whether the approach of self-isolation at home, triage based on frailty index, early discharge from hospitals into care homes, and cancellation of non-covid related surgeries led to unnecessary deaths. He also pointed out that while ICU beds were underutilised, excess mortality rates in the UK matched Spain's highest levels across Europe.

Yvette Cooper Lab

Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley

Cooper highlighted the disproportionate impact of covid-19 on vulnerable groups such as low-paid workers, BAME communities, and care workers. She urged for clearer public health guidance to avoid confusion and emphasised the need to prevent a second wave by ensuring strict measures in social care, protecting key workers, and implementing international travel restrictions.

Jane Stevenson Con

Wolverhampton South East

Stevenson recognised the efforts of NHS staff and care home workers during the pandemic. She advocated for support to shielded individuals and families in Wolverhampton, emphasising the importance of community initiatives and local business recovery. She also expressed hope for a national event next year to remember victims of coronavirus.

Angus MacNeil SNP

Na h-Eileanan an Iar

MacNeil criticises the UK's lockdown policies, especially in comparison to those of Iceland and Faroes, for their lack of proper testing and tracing systems. He calls for continued financial support from the Treasury for all nations within the UK during this crisis and argues that smaller nations like Scotland handle epidemics better than larger ones.

William Wragg Con

Hale Constituency

Wragg discusses the upcoming public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic, suggesting that it will reveal uncomfortable truths but also admit responsibility. He calls for MPs to return to their place of work and engage effectively with the Government for better scrutiny and governance.

Sarah Champion Lab

Rotherham

Champion highlights the impact of coronavirus in developing countries, emphasising challenges such as lack of preventive measures, weak health systems, economic downturns, food insecurity, and threats to social cohesion. She calls for increased flexibility in how NGOs use their existing funding to tackle these issues.

Gagan Mohindra Con

South West Hertfordshire

I thank frontline staff and welcome the Prime Minister’s statement, expressing optimism about the easing of lockdown restrictions based on data. I emphasise the importance of broadband investment as an essential utility and the adaptation of healthcare systems to remote diagnosis. The pandemic is a catalyst for technological innovation, showcasing British ingenuity and community spirit. I acknowledge the work done during the crisis and ask the Paymaster General to coordinate volunteer efforts.

Alex Cunningham Lab

Stockton North

I discuss health inequalities exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic in my constituency, highlighting the disproportionate impact on smokers and those with pre-existing conditions. I advocate for proper funding of tobacco control and smoking cessation services to reduce health inequalities and lift people out of poverty. I call for a polluter charge on tobacco companies to fund these services and urge the Government to prioritise lung health and prevention measures.

Liam Fox Con

North Somerset

I thank key workers and voluntary groups in North Somerset. I discuss the potential course of the pandemic, noting that a lockdown may reduce peak death rates but not necessarily long-term excess mortality. The virus's behaviour is uncertain, and it may evolve or disappear as other viruses have done. We need to understand how many people have been infected through widespread antibody testing. Speeding up the roll-out of antibody testing is key for understanding the spread of illness and controlling it.

Chris Grayling Con

Epsom and Ewell

Grayling congratulated the Chancellor on his rapid economic support measures. He urged local authorities to have discretion over business support funds for affected businesses not formally required to close but unable to continue trading due to social distancing guidelines. He also suggested easing the impact on self-employed groups and advocated for more international aid towards wildlife conservation projects.

James Murray Lab Co-op

Ealing North

Murray emphasised the Government's responsibility to keep people safe during the crisis, criticised the confusion created by ill-considered announcements, and highlighted the need for mass testing and contact tracing. He also discussed care homes' failure to control outbreaks, inequalities in society, and the importance of supporting essential workers after the immediate crisis.

Ben Lake PC

Ceredigion Preseli

Lake reflected on those who lost their lives due to covid-19 and expressed his condolences. He supported the need for economic support measures extended during lockdown restrictions, particularly for sectors such as tourism and agriculture. He emphasised the importance of establishing an intensive testing, tracking, and contact tracing regime in line with South Korea's model and highlighted the work conducted by Ceredigion County Council on community testing and contact tracing.

David Evennett Con

Bexley

Evennett praised the Prime Minister for his leadership throughout the crisis. He acknowledged the efforts of NHS staff, care workers, key workers in London, and other medical professionals on the frontline. Evennett welcomed the cautious approach to easing lockdown restrictions and highlighted the importance of the Government's measures to support businesses during the pandemic. He mentioned a survey revealing that without current government measures, many businesses would have been forced to lay off staff or close down entirely.

Margaret Ferrier SNP

Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Expressed condolences to those lost to covid-19, paid tribute to key workers, criticised the 'stay alert' slogan for being unclear and potentially harmful. Highlighted the need for a clear and unambiguous approach in tackling coronavirus similar to that taken by devolved Governments. Emphasised the importance of supporting businesses through job retention schemes and flexibility in policy making. Raised concerns about potential long-term economic impacts if recovery does not prioritise societal wellbeing.

James Davies Con

Montgomeryshire

Welcomed the Government's support package but criticised confusion and anxiety caused by inconsistencies between UK and Welsh Governments regarding advice, school closures, volunteer recruitment, hospital provision, and IT systems. Raised issues with shielding letters and testing access in Wales compared to England, pointing out failures in NHS Wales' IT systems contributing to poor performance.

Dan Jarvis Lab

Barnsley North

Critiqued the Government's 'Stay alert' slogan as vague, emphasised the importance of social distancing measures on public transport and promoting walking and cycling. Called for monitoring and support for businesses to ensure safe workplaces and urged transparency in decision-making processes based on scientific advice. Advocated for a green new deal to address regional inequalities and climate change, urging against returning to pre-pandemic conditions.

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