In the final debate on the Queen’s Speech, Labour have tabled a
humble address calling on the Government to publish their
internal review of the handling of the pandemic, to ensure
lessons can be implemented in the race against the Indian
variant.
Opening the debate, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan
Ashworth will say that without a proper plan to control the
spread of the variant, the June 21 unlocking will be
unachievable. He will say that surge vaccinations, proper sick
pay and support to self-isolate and ventilation are all key to
bringing infections down.
He will say that it is crucial that Ministers are transparent
about the mistakes made in earlier waves of the crisis and call
on Ministers to publish and implement the findings of their
internal review as part of a proper plan to control the variant’s
spread.
, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary
said:
“Learning the lessons of the past year is crucial to our success
of containing the Indian variant.
“Boris Johnson promised us an irreversible roadmap to normality.
With the spread of the B1617.2 variant threatening to hold us
back we need urgent action from Ministers to contain this
variant.
“That starts with surge vaccination in hot spot areas for all;
surge testing backed up by sick pay and support for isolation and
ventilation help for building and premises. Ministers must do all
they can now to meet their June 21 target.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- Wednesday’s Queen’s speech debate will be opened by Jonathan
Ashworth and closed by
- Labour have tabled a motion on the Queen’s Speech debate
calling on Ministers to publish their internal review of the
pandemic. The motion reads:
At end add ‘but respectfully regrets that the Government has
provided insufficient information for its proposals properly to
be scrutinised; and therefore beg leave that she will be
graciously pleased to give directions that the following papers
be laid before Parliament: the lessons learned review of the
Government’s handling of the Covid pandemic and the plan to fix
social care that the Prime Minister announced on 24 July 2019 had
been prepared.’
- Surge vaccination has been supported by:
o SPI-M (SAGE subcommittee) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spi-m-o-consensus-statement-on-covid-19-12-may-2021
o The Directors of Public Health in Bolton and Blackburn with
Darwenhttps://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/19306031.blackburn-darwen-public-health-experts-call-vaccines/
o Local Tory MPs including Jake Berry https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/13/covid-variant-found-in-india-may-delay-lifting-of-england-restrictions-minister-admits
