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, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of continuing the covid-19 testing for health and care settings beyond autumn 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Symptomatic testing in high-risk health and care settings will continue at least until March 2023 for specific groups where infection can spread rapidly among those who may be at higher risk of serious illness. Additionally, during periods of high prevalence, asymptomatic testing will be available in such settings.
The Government will continue to keep the response to COVID-19 under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate. Beyond autumn 2022, we will continue to monitor prevalence and other factors to determine whether asymptomatic testing is needed in high-risk settings.
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, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the covid-19 testing regime in the context of existing levels of infection.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The current testing regime in England focuses on those most at risk from serious outcomes from COVID-19, including those patients who could benefit from antiviral treatments. Universal free testing would not be a cost-effective method for those not at serious risk from the current COVID-19 variants.
The Government continues to keep this response under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate and that measures are in place in the event of a dangerous new variant.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reintroducing free covid-19 lateral flow tests in the context of the increasing infection rate.
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.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to introduce measures to allow people using commercially purchased covid-19 tests to register their results via the www.gov.uk website.
Answered by Maggie Throup
While we have no current plans to do so, we will keep the registration of privately purchased tests under review.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take in response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases; and what plans they have (1) to re-introduce free testing, and (2) to update their advice on the wearing of face masks.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme and the availability of antiviral treatments has ensured a reduced risk of severe illness or hospitalisation. We have transitioned the response towards guidance and encouraging responsible behaviours, while targeting protection towards those individuals most at risk from the virus. Testing remains available for eligible groups, including for certain high-risk individuals and settings.
It is currently recommended that face coverings should be worn when COVID-19 rates are high, in crowded and enclosed spaces and when coming into close contact with individuals at high risk. While there are currently no plans to update the guidance on wearing face coverings, the Government continues to assess the situation and will take further action if required to ensure the response remains effective and proportionate.
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, with reference to the guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Advice to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, published on 10 September 2021, when he plans to respond to the recommendations on covid-19 test providers.
Answered by Maggie Throup
There are currently no plans to provide a formal response. Following the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) report into the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for travel market, the policy for testing was amended from PCR to lateral flow device (LFD) testing. However, officials met regularly with the CMA to discuss its recommendations, many of which were incorporated into the implementation of the LFD testing regime.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms his Department uses to measure daily covid-19 testing data; and how many tests his Department records on average each day.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Daily data on COVID-19 testing includes the numbers of new confirmed positive, negative or void test results for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and lateral flow device (LFD) tests. For PCR tests, data is recorded by the date the sample was collected from the individual and results are reported via the laboratory or facility processing the test. For LFD tests, data is also recorded by the date the sample was taken. However, LFD tests do not require laboratory processing and results are self-reported via GOV.UK or 119. Organisations may also report LFD test results directly via the Point of Care Testing portal.
The Department holds data on virus tests reported in England over a rolling seven-day average. For the latest seven-day period ending 21 June 2022, the average number of tests reported daily was 199,350.3.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 held by his Department have expired before use.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total cost to his Department was of disposing of expired covid-19 tests over the last two years; and what estimate he has made of the total cost of disposing of expired covid-19 tests in the next year.
Answered by Maggie Throup
No lateral flow device tests held by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have been destroyed in the last two years.
In 2022/23, the UKHSA has a budget of approximately £2.7 million for the disposal of obsolete stock and associated costs. This is managed in accordance with the principles of managing public money and the waste hierarchy, to ensure value for money considerations and the least impact to the environment.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department holds contracts for the disposal of expired covid-19 tests as of 6 July 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The UK Health Security Agency has no such contract in place.