Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is planning to take to prevent the potential for fraudulent negative covid-19 test results being used by travelling football fans seeking to gain access to the Carabao cup final; and if he will make a statement.

All attendees will be asked to provide consent to enter the research programme, prior to being invited to attend the event. The consent will be specific to each event.

Our Science Board has agreed that testing will be required to take place both before and after the event in order to ensure event safety and to gather evidence on the pilots.

Attendees will take a LFD test at an assisted testing site within 24 hours before an event, as well as an at-home PCR test before the event which will be posted to attendees.

Participants will receive a text or email address from NHS Test and Trace which they will need to present to stewards upon entry to the stadium footprint. A negative test, taken within the timeframe specified, is required for entry. Results will be validated by the event organisers before ticket-holders are admitted to the venue.

Details of testing requirements have been published and are included in the initial consent document, to ensure those invited to attend ERP pilots are informed of testing procedures.

The ERP delivery team is working closely with the event operators, local Directors of Public Health, local authorities and police to ensure each pilot is conducted safely.

All events will be supported by highly capable safety teams and have the full support and buy-in from the relevant local authorities, police and Directors for Public Health.