Coronavirus Response

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:48 pm on 20 July 2020.

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Photo of Matthew Hancock Matthew Hancock Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 4:48, 20 July 2020

Teasing out the answer to that question is a difficult statistical task, but the broad point the hon. Gentleman makes is the right one. We are seeking to tackle this disease, coronavirus, and we have to measure that; at the same time, of course, we need to continue to tackle all the other diseases and to make sure that the consequences of those diseases are measured properly. It is a significant challenge that faces many countries around the world, and that is why scientists are somewhat sceptical about over-analysis and international comparisons of deaths data, as proven by the need for the urgent review I put in place last week.