Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the affordability of covid-19 testing for people who are visiting relatives in care homes.

Visitors are no longer asked to test before entering a care home although they are encouraged to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including staying away from the care home if they are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19. However, free asymptomatic testing is available for visitors providing personal care before entering the care home, up to twice weekly if visiting more than twice. While visitor testing is no longer required, we will continue to ensure that COVID-19 tests are available through the private market for those who wish to purchase them.