Oral Answers to Questions

Sam Tarry Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2020 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Sam Tarry (Ilford South) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS Test and Trace.

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

What recent assessment his Department has made of the reach of NHS Test and Trace.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

NHS Test and Trace is consistently reaching tens of thousands of people who need to isolate each week. In the latest week’s data, 84.3% of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate where contact details were provided. Since its launch, we have reached over 300,000 people who may have been unwittingly carrying the virus and transmitting it, to ensure that they keep themselves safe and keep their community safe.

[Sam Tarry]

Scientists in the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies have continually warned that, for the test and trace system to be successful, 80% of people in contact with those who have covid must be reached. We are well off that target, I am afraid to say. Will the Secretary of State consider seeking advice from our European partners who have had a functioning system since May, or is he going to continue to allow the private sector to do this, on which it has no proven track record, and protect the interests of particular companies that certain civil servants allegedly may have links with? Are we going to see a serious approach to this?

[Matt Hancock]

Unlike the question, we will have a serious approach to this. I will absolutely defend to all ends the teams who work on our NHS test and trace system, the private sector companies without which this would be impossible and the civil servants who are working day and night to make this happen. I will not have disparaging remarks about civil servants, who have done so much during this pandemic, made in this House by the hon. Gentleman. I do not think he was listening to my answer, because the latest week’s data show that 84.3% of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate where contact details were provided.