Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of blood test tubes.

We have secured tens of millions of additional blood test tubes, including importing additional supplies from the European Union and the United States of America, which are now in NHS use. There continues to be stock in place to ensure clinically urgent testing continues. The Department is working closely with NHS England, the devolved administrations and the National Health Service to minimise any impact on patient care.