Thank you for contacting me about the provisions in the Coronavirus Act regarding provision of services in extreme circumstances which might arise during the present crisis for people with disabilities.
Local authorities will still be expected to do as much as they can to comply with their duties to meet the needs of disabled people during this crisis; the legislation does not remove the duty of care towards people at risk of serious neglect or harm.
The powers in the emergency legislation will only last for the duration of the emergency and would only be used if demand pressures and workforce illness during the pandemic meant that local authorities were at imminent risk of failing to fulfil their duties. They would be a measure of last resort and would ensure that local authorities would continue to be able to deliver the best possible care during periods of potentially enormous demand on services and to protect the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
April 2020