Coronavirus: Government admits 'gaps' in review into BAME deaths
Labour call the review a "wasted opportunity" to make concrete recommendations on how to protect BAME people from coronavirus.
Thursday 4 June 2020 16:11, UK
The government has admitted a review by Public Health England into the effects of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities "hasn't gone far enough".
An inquiry was ordered by ministers to investigate why Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people appeared to be disproportionately dying from the coronavirus.
It found people from BAME groups were up to twice as likely to die with COVID-19 than those from a white British background.
However, it failed to publish any recommendations on the actions that could be taken to protect BAME lives as intended.
Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, the minister for equalities, Kemi Badenoch, admitted there were "gaps" in the report.
"The report is welcomed, but it hasn't gone far enough and we will take it where it needs to get to," she said.
Responding to questions from MPs, Ms Badenoch acknowledged that: "There was more I was hoping to see from this review."
"But Public Health England couldn't collect the data for morbidities, occupation and underlying health conditions.
"We were not able to make recommendations because this data was not possible to collect."
The shadow equalities secretary, Marsha De Cordova, told Sky News that Ms Badenoch's "performance was a shambles" and a "wasted opportunity".
"PHE's review is silent on how to reduce ethnic disparities from COVID-19," said Ms De Cordova.
"It fails to address the occupational discrimination facing BAME workers.
"It does not make a single recommendation on ways forward."
Ms Badenoch said it was important time was now taken to consider what should happen next.
"We must make sure we carry out the right actions, we mustn't rush to do things, especially if it turns out to be the wrong steps," she said.
"We are not rushing and looking at all the studies not just the PHE one.
"This is the beginning not the end of the process."