Every local authority in England has been provided with a share of £300 million to develop tailored outbreak control plans, which will set out measures to identify and contain potential coronavirus outbreaks locally in places such as workplaces, housing complexes, care homes and schools.

The London Borough of Hillingdon will receive £1,629,656 and the London Borough of Harrow will receive £1,020,258 to develop and implement its plan and will work closely with the local NHS and local public health directors to ensure it has sufficient resources to tackle the virus locally. This could, for example, include using the money to recruit additional staff where they are required to support local services.

I pay tribute to everyone in Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner who is working tirelessly to help control the spread of the virus locally.

This additional funding from the Government will be key to supporting our local efforts, and I will work with local authority leaders to ensure that it is put to good use.

The pandemic requires a national effort but that will only be effective as a result of local authorities, working hand in hand with Public Health England to focus on the containment of local outbreaks, in order to control the transmission and the spread of the virus.

Local authorities will be vital in the effort to contain Covid-19 at a community level, but we must all play our part to tackle coronavirus and should continue to follow guidelines by staying at home if symptoms develop.