Asked by: Royston Smith (Conservative - Southampton, Itchen)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many free covid-19 rapid lateral flow tests were provided by the NHS for people who work in healthcare or adult social care in each month since 1 April 2022.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The following table shows the monthly breakdown of how many free COVID-19 lateral flow tests were provided in England only for National Health Service workers and adult social care.
LFD test volume | Adult social care workers (millions) | NHS workers (millions) |
April 2022 | 9.8 | 4.9 |
May 2022 | 3.7 | 1.8 |
June 2022 | 3.0 | 2.2 |
July 2022 | 4.8 | 3.9 |
August 2022 | 3.6 | 2.0 |
September 2022 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
October 2022 | 1.4 | 1.9 |
November 2022 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
December 2022 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
January 2023 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
February 2023 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
March 2023 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
Financial year 22/23 | 33.7 | 23.6 |
Asked by: Lord Strathcarron (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 8 February (HL5061), when data for April 2022 and beyond will be validated for release; and on what grounds this information is commercially sensitive.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The data relating to the number of lateral flow device (LFD) tests purchased between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 will be available in late 2023 on completion of the National Audit Office audit on financial year 2022/23. The timescales of the audit are currently being discussed and agreed.
The UK Health Security Agency consider that releasing the information on the total costs of LFD tests would not be in the public interest as it could prejudice future commercial relations with suppliers if this information were to be disclosed in the public domain.
Asked by: Viscount Camrose (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 lateral flow test kits they purchased since January 2020; what was the total cost of those tests; how many tests were distributed; and what estimate they have made of how many were used.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department purchased approximately 2.6 billion lateral flow device (LFD) tests between September 2020 and March 2022. It is not possible to provide data for April 2022 and beyond at this time as it is not yet validated for release. We are unable to provide the information requested on the total costs of LFD tests as this information is commercially sensitive.
A table showing the number of LFD tests distributed up until May 2022 is attached. Whilst we collect data on tests recorded, this data does not necessarily equate to used tests as not everybody records the results of tests that they have used.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests his Department has procured in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
We do not hold the data in the format requested.
Between April 2020 and March 2022, circa 2.6 billion lateral flow tests were procured by the Department. It is not possible to provide data for after April 2022 at this time as it is not yet validated for release.
PCR test kits are assembled in house.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to take steps to introduce covid-19 testing (a) for people admitted to hospital who are immunocompromised and (b) in other high-risk settings.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
As set out in the Living with COVID-19 strategy published last February, we are continuing to offer some COVID-19 testing for those in high-risk settings. Currently, symptomatic or immunocompromised patients who are admitted to hospital for maternity or emergency care receive a Polymerase Chain Reaction test. Residents, patients, or staff in high-risk settings who are symptomatic are also tested and testing can be used to manage an outbreak in these settings.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether covid-19 lateral flow tests issued by (a) the NHS and (b) pharmacies are able to detect current and emergent variants of covid-19.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The performance of the lateral flow devices used in the National Health Service (NHS) are continually monitored and are subject to further evaluation at Porton Down to ascertain that they are able to detect new COVID-19 variants that may emerge into circulation in the United Kingdom.
Tests sold by pharmacies need to be approved under the Coronavirus Test Devices Approval (CTDA) regulations. As part of the post market surveillance, manufacturers of CTDA approved tests need to provide data to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency showing that performance levels are maintained against new COVID-19 variants that may emerge into circulation in the UK.
Both the evaluation conducted at Porton Down and CTDA maintain a highly rigorous testing process and ensure that COVID-19 tests used in the NHS and sold by pharmacies meet strict quality standards. UK consumers can be confident in the tests available, which is vital for managing COVID-19.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reintroduce (a) universal free testing and (b) workplace testing for covid-19.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The success of the COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme and the availability of antivirals has ensured a reduced risk of severe illness or hospitalisation. We have retained the capacity to reintroduce wider testing eligibility in the event of a serious surge in infections or variant of concern during the winter. While there are no current plans for the reintroduction of universal testing or widespread workplace testing, the Government continues to keep the response under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of free lateral flow tests on Covid-19 levels.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
As announced in ‘COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19’ in February 2022, we continued free asymptomatic testing in high-risk settings where prevalence was high. In August, prevalence had fallen to a level where there was limited value in most regular testing for people without symptoms, although testing continues for those with symptoms. This avoids the majority of people having to test unnecessarily.
There are many factors which affect the prevalence of COVID-19, therefore it is not possible to isolate the specific impact of the withdrawal of free lateral flow device tests or asymptomatic testing in high-risk settings. However, we continue to review data on the prevalence of COVID-19 and if public health advice suggests the reintroduction of regular asymptomatic testing in high-risk settings, this will be considered.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department collects covid-19 test results from private covid-19 test providers which allow for self-reporting of results.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
Lateral flow device (LFD) tests which are privately purchased cannot currently be registered on GOV.UK and there is no requirement to report these results to the provider. However, this is kept under review. Free LFD tests can still be registered on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to re-introduce free covid-19 testing.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Government regularly reviews the response to COVID-19 to ensure it remains effective and proportionate. Given the variants which are currently dominant, it would not be cost-effective to provide universal free testing for those not at risk of serious illness. We will continue to make sure that we are prepared in the event of a dangerous new variant, including with testing infrastructure and capabilities.