Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Sheffield City Council has instructed care homes in Sheffield not to use COVID-19 lateral flow tests for admitting visitors due to concerns that such tests lack accuracy.

We are aware of reports that Sheffield City Council communicated with care homes about the sensitivity of rapid lateral flow tests. However, the Council issued clear advice in line with national policy on 11 December 2020. The Department continues to engage with local authorities to assure their local recommendations remain aligned to the Department’s testing policy.