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Health: Influenza

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State of State for Health (Andrew Lansley) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today announcing the publication of the UK influenza pandemic preparedness strategy 2011 and the Government response to the consultation launched on 22 March 2011. The majority of comments on both policy and operational detail were in strong agreement with the overall approach set out in the strategy. All comments have been considered when finalising the updated strategy. Each of the UK Governments will produce separate health and social care facing documents, which will address the operational detail. We plan to publish the English health and social care document in the next few months and it will be subject to the agreement of the new health system in England. This strategy and Government response has been placed in the Library. Copies are available to honourable Members from the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office. The strategy can also be found at:www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/ Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_130903. The consultation response also can be found at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Responsestoconsultations/DH_130901.