Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what further steps he will take to tackle the backlog of applications which have been submitted to the Coronavirus Test Device Approval process.

Addressing the backlog is a priority, however most applicants did not initially provide evidence of the correct type or standard. We have provided feedback to applicants on what additional information is required to progress their application and allowed the appropriate time to provide it.

We have made improvements to the process that have seen an increased flow of applications to the final stages. These steps include increasing the number of scientific advisors to meet demand, as well as updating the online guidance for applicants on 7 February 2022 to provide greater clarity for acceptance criteria for the range of viral loads within samples. This should enable applications to move through the process more efficiently.

We will continue to work with stakeholders to identify opportunities to streamline the process.