Found: Most recently, contracts award to big international tech during the development of the coronavirus contact

Found: https://www.southwales.police.uk/en/newsroom/public-urged-to-be-vigilant-of-fraudsterstrying-to-exploit-coronavirus-contact-tracing-system

Found: area-wales-missed-coronavirus-simple-18348215https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/21/uk-first-coronavirus-contact-tracing-group-warns-of-difficultieshttps

Found: Leith, Stephen Farrell (Trinity College Dublin), Coronavirus Contact Tracing: Evaluating The Potential

Found: We have also written to health ministers asking them to ensure that the proposed coronavirus contact

Found: , 5 May 2020, Available at: https://pharmaphorum.com/news/uk-says-coronavirus-contact-tracing-app-could-be-nationwide-in-weeks

Found: covid-safe-app-downloads-ios-android-iphone-australian-government-covidsafe-tracking-how-to-download-install-works-working-problems-australia-coronavirus-contact-tracing

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate entitled Contact tracing applications, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25 January 2023.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Government will consider the conclusions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe alongside lessons learnt and relevant findings more generally, including in due course from the COVID-19 public inquiry, in looking at the best options for using technology to respond to any future pandemic.

The National Health Service COVID-19 app is currently available to those aged 16 or over in England and Wales and is an effective and anonymous contact tracing tool. It has been downloaded over 31.5 million times since its launch on 24 September 2020. As of December 2022, the app had 7.7 million users. It also enables users to check their symptoms and enter positive NHS-provided or private test results, as well as signposting to public health and policy advice. The App, which incorporates proportionate and appropriate data protection mechanisms, has been shown to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the purpose is of the UK Health Security Agency's contact tracing contract with SERCO, entitled Provision of Contact Centre Services for The Single Service Centre SERCO Contract, beginning 16 February 2022 for £211,876,932.

Answered by Maggie Throup

The purpose of the contract is to provide positive case tracing, contact tracing, isolation follow-up, international translation services, surge capacity for test enquiries and bookings and Tier 1 119 services. The supplier may be requested to undertake additional services if required.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the proportion of (a) laboratory capacity to process covid-19 PCR tests and (b) contact centre capacity which was paid for has not been used.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We do not set utilisation targets for laboratories as this is dependent on public demand for polymerase chain reaction testing.

The contact centre aligns resources to the forecasted growth or reduction in positive cases across the country. As figures fluctuate daily it is not possible to predict the exact number of agents to meet utilisation targets. However, the performance of the contact centres is monitored. In January 2022, 62% utilisation on the Trace Service and 63% on the general public testing enquires line was reached.

The information requested on paid for laboratory capacity which has not been utilised could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Between October 2021 and January 2022, the contact centre and 119 service did not use an average of 28% of paid time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the utilisation targets are in respect of (a) laboratory capacity to process covid-19 PCR tests and (b) contact centre capacity; and whether those targets have been reached.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We do not set utilisation targets for laboratories as this is dependent on public demand for polymerase chain reaction testing.

The contact centre aligns resources to the forecasted growth or reduction in positive cases across the country. As figures fluctuate daily it is not possible to predict the exact number of agents to meet utilisation targets. However, the performance of the contact centres is monitored. In January 2022, 62% utilisation on the Trace Service and 63% on the general public testing enquires line was reached.

The information requested on paid for laboratory capacity which has not been utilised could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Between October 2021 and January 2022, the contact centre and 119 service did not use an average of 28% of paid time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent by his Department on (a) laboratory capacity to process PCR tests and (b) contact tracing including contact centres in 2020-2021; and what estimate he has made of the projected spends for those areas in 2021-2022.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We are unable to provide the amount spent in the 2020/21 financial year on laboratory capacity for the purposes of processing PCR tests and an estimate of projected spend in that area, as this information is commercially sensitive.

The interim unaudited financial position indicates that expenditure on Trace activities, in the 2020/21 financial period was approximately £911 million. A breakdown of NHS Test and Trace audited expenditure for 2020/2021 will be published once finalised.

As of 31 December 2021, the unaudited projected spend on Trace activities for 2021/22 was £589 million.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to continue to fund local covid-19 contact tracing services beyond March 2022; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Maggie Throup

Over £2.1 billion has been provided to local authorities through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), with £400 million allocated in 2021/22. We continue to work with local authorities to ensure that the COMF delivers the objectives of Local Outbreak Management Plans. Specific public health activities funded from the COMF are determined by local authorities in conjunction with Directors of Public Health.

No decision has yet been on made on the continuation of the COMF and discussions on COVID-19 funding for local authorities are ongoing. In December 2021 we confirmed that unspent funds from the COMF can be carried forward into 2022/23.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities that identify contact tracing as the optimum way to manage covid-19 beyond March 2022 are supported with the continuation of running contact tracing.

Answered by Maggie Throup

We have continued to provide funding to local authorities to tackle COVID-19 in their local communities through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF). The specific public health activities undertaken which are funded by the COMF are determined by local authorities in conjunction with Directors of Public Health and local tracing teams. No decision has yet been on made on the continuation of the COMF. However, in December 2021, we confirmed that unspent funds from the COMF can be carried forward to 2022/23.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2021 to Question 83432 on Coronavirus: Contact Tracing, when the review of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund be published.

Answered by Maggie Throup

In December 2021, we confirmed to local authorities that unspent monies from the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) can be carried forward to the 2022/23 financial year. Updated guidance clarifying the new criteria will be provided in due course. We are continuing to consider the potential funding requirement for local outbreak support therefore we do not currently have a timetable for the outcome of the review. We are working with local authorities to ensure that the COMF aids them to deliver the objectives of their Local Outbreak Management Plans and support their communities.