Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on provision of free covid-19 testing for teachers and support staff working with children with underlying health conditions after 1 April 2022.

The Government is removing the guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing. Staff and secondary age students and above in special schools, alternative provision, Special Educational Needs/Alternative Provision units within schools and colleges and open and secure children’s homes, are advised to continue regular twice weekly testing until the end of March 2022. From 1 April 2022, there will be limited symptomatic testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. We will set out further details on eligible groups in due course.