Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether costs incurred by local authorities for private laboratory fees for (a) covid-19 tests (b) courier fees and (c) swabbing fees will be reimbursed by the Government.
NHS Test and Trace was established to provide testing and contact tracing in England.
It does not hold responsibility for all testing conducted in England. Where local authorities or other Government bodies have procured private testing services outside of the Department or NHS Test and Trace, these costs will not be reimbursed unless they were contractually agreed prior to undertaking.