To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has published on the decontamination procedure for nail clipping implements used for chiropody care in the NHS. (226276)

The Department has not published specific guidance on decontamination procedures for nail clipping or indeed other procedures within chiropody and podiatry. However, the Department has recently started a process of consultation with the professional and learned bodies across the foot-care professions and many other groups within primary care. This will result in a specific Health Technical Memorandum (HTM 01-07) Decontamination in Primary Care. Publication, following consultation and peer review, is expected in nine to 12 months’ time.