Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many volunteers have signed up to support the delivery of Lateral Flow Device tests in schools; and how those volunteers will be vetted to ensure the school site is safe.

We are not collecting the data on the numbers of volunteers each school is recruiting. We have provided comprehensive guidance to schools on how asymptomatic testing should be operationalised. School and college leaders are in the best position to secure the necessary resource for testing, which is from within their own school and local communities.

Schools and colleges are responsible for ensuring that volunteer and test staff have passed the necessary assessments before testing begins, which are set out in the published NHS Test and Trace training guidance for schools and colleges. It is the responsibility of the schools or college to ensure all staff and volunteers on their site meet the appropriate safeguarding requirements, including Disclosure and Barring Service, in accordance with the existing Department for Education guidance.