Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the people of Northern Ireland can access timely covid-19 testing.

Testing and tracing are central to the COVID-19 recovery strategy. Across the United Kingdom, testing via NHS Test and Trace is available to everyone with symptoms, whatever their age.

We have worked with the Northern Ireland Executive to improve the availability of testing for all residents of Northern Ireland. There are four regional testing sites and seven mobile testing units operating in Northern Ireland, and a local test site was recently opened in Belfast. Home test kits are also available to order.