Labour demands Government publishes contingency plan as cases of Omicron threaten Christmas

Angela Rayner, Labour's Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has asked Ministers to set out how they are planning to tackle the effects of the rise in Covid cases on staff absences.

The impact is already being seen in the delivery of our essential services, our emergency services and our critical national infrastructure.

The country is facing an incredibly anxious lead up to Christmas, which Labour asserts has been exacerbated by the Government's failure to plan. As a result, the Party is pressing to know what the Government has done to prepare for this scenario, and how it will operationalise these plans.

Labour is asking the Government to answer five vital questions to reassure the public:

• What contingency planning does the Government have in place to deal with staff shortages in essential services?
• Will you be publishing your civil contingency and national resilience planning?
• Who will be responsible for coordinating civil contingencies and national resilience work across Government?
• How will local and regional contexts be built into your civil contingency planning for the Omicron wave?
• Will you be calling on the British public or the public sector workforce to assist with efforts to keep essential services running?

Angela Rayner MP, Labour's Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said:

“Dithering and delay have caused disruption throughout this pandemic but we cannot see that happen again.

“It is vital that we have as much information as possible about the impact of Omicron and how this Government plans to mitigate those impacts. It would be an irresponsible dereliction of duty to not have contingency planning in place.

“The public have a right to know that the Government is taking this seriously.”

Ends


Notes to editors:

• Text of letter from Angela Rayner to Steve Barclay, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster:

...Dear Steve, I am writing to you as the worrying rise in cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is impacting delivery of our essential services, our emergency services and our critical national infrastructure.…
… has done for this scenario, and how it will operationalise these plans. Dithering and delay have caused disruption throughout this pandemic but we cannot see that happen again. I would like to know from you:

• • What contingency planning does your Department have in place to deal with staff shortages in essential services?
  • Will you be publishing your civil contingency and national resilience planning?
  • Who will be responsible for coordinating civil contingencies and national resilience work across Government?
  • How will local and regional contexts be built into your civil contingency planning for the Omicron wave?
  • Will you be calling on the British public or the public sector workforce to assist with efforts to keep essential services running?
• 
  It is vital that we have as much information as possible about the impact of Omicron and how this Government plans to mitigate those impacts. It would be an irresponsible dereliction of duty to not have contingency planning in place for this scenario, therefore I am sure that these questions will not be difficult for you to answer and I expect a swift response.
  
  Wishing you a happy and healthy Christmas.
  
  Yours sincerely,Angela Rayner

• 'Ambulance service may be ‘engulfed’ by Omicron crisis as hundreds of staff off sick' - 18 December, Independent
  
  
• 'Covid cases causing firefighter shortage in London, union says' - 18 December, BBC News
  
  
• 'Train operators warn of Covid cancellations due to staff shortages as millions head home' - 17 December, The i
  
  
• Although not an essential service, even the Natural History Museum is closing its doors - 20 December, Independent