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Written question asked by Joe Robertson (Conservative) on Monday, 10 February 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 February 2025. It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Monday, 24 February 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Viral Diseases

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 25535 on Viral Diseases, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of cases of (a) flu, (b) covid-19, (c) norovirus and (d) respiratory syncytial virus.

Answer

The Department has no current plans to undertake an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of flu, COVID-19, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus cases.

The relationship between cold weather and respiratory illness in general, such as exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, is well established in scientific evidence. However, a link from cold snaps, or housing temperature, to respiratory infections does not have the same evidential base.

Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/surveillance-of-influenza-and-other-seasonal-respiratory-viruses-in-the-uk-winter-2023-to-2024/surveillance-of-influenza-and-other-seasonal-respiratory-viruses-in-the-uk-winter-2023-to-2024


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
30326
Session
2024-26
Related items
Viral Diseases
Friday, 7 February 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Winter fuel payment Viral diseases
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk