Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 42
42
Paragraph: 208
We are concerned that Ministers do not seem to have access to information about prevalence...
Recommendation
We are concerned that Ministers do not seem to have access to information about prevalence rates internationally, and there is confusion about what information is held by the Department for Health and Social Care, as well as the interaction between different agencies including Public Health England, NHS Test and Trace and the Joint Biosecurity Centre and SAGE. We urge the Department to clarify responsibilities and establish a process for greater transparency from this point on. We urge the Department to clarify responsibilities and establish a process for greater transparency from this point on.
Paragraph Reference:
208
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
Replied together with 44. We note that the COVID-19 Operations committee appears to be taking the decisions on border policy and we welcome a cross-Government process to coordinate different departments and ensure that decisions are consistent, and evidence based. However, it still resulted in different advice emerging from the FCO and DfT, and it remains unclear which Department retains lead responsibility for border policy. One accountable Department should be clearly charged with lead responsibility. We believe that should either be the Cabinet Office or, as the Department with overall responsibility for border operations, the Home Office. (Paragraph 214) The regulations were first signed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care are part of a coherent effort across the whole of the UK to tackle COVID-19 and protect the lives and health of people living in this country. They are a direct response to the serious and imminent threat to public health posed by the virus. The Home Office including Border Force initially took on SRO responsibility for development and implementation of the measures and this has now transferred to the Department for Transport. The Secretary of State for Transport is now responsible for signing the regulations. Intensive collaboration across Government which is fundamental to the success of the International Travel Programme continues and demonstrates the very best of our Civil Service. Public health monitoring and assessment is primarily a matter for DHSC and the public health authorities across the Four Nations. Similarly, the public health legislative framework is a matter for DHSC. However, as we have seen through the COVID-19 pandemic our response to this threat has required an agile cross-government effort. The policy and operational response on international travel has been a collaborative effort at both Ministerial and official level across departments and DAs.