LIBERAL TALK
Liberal Party NEC Statement - UK Pandemic Public Information Availability - Printable Version

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Liberal Party NEC Statement - UK Pandemic Public Information Availability - ReadingLib - 08-06-2020

The Liberal Party notes with concern the continued decline in direct Government communications on the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Since the end of June the Government has ceased daily briefings and then progressively felt the need to discontinue publishing the daily number of people tested for Covid-19 and now the daily death toll which is currently being reviewed by Public Health England.
 
Whilst we fully accept that the data presented to the public must be both accurate and relevant the government has a duty to communicate publicly where this data is accessible in the public domain.
 
As the country emerges from its unprecedented lockdown the public needs to be able to make informed decision on how they wish to resume their social and public activities and to be able to assess the risks.
 
The imposition of further restrictions in Manchester and other parts of Northern England clearly illustrates the unpredictable nature of this pandemic.
 
The party calls for the Government to ensure that such information is available in an accessible format, to be consistent with the data it uses and that the figures collected are meaningful, and finally that the need to open the economy is balanced with the needs for public disclosure.