Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date (a) she, (b) each Minister of her Department and (c) officials in her Department first became aware of alleged malpractice involving (i) Trimega and (ii) Randox Testing Services.

Home Office officials were made aware of alleged malpractice at Randox Testing Services on 12 January 2017. Home Office ministers were made aware on 17 January 2017. At this early stage, the scale of the alleged malpractice was not known

On 19 January 2017, Home Office officials were made aware that malpractice may have occurred at Trimega. The available information regarding alleged malpractice at Trimega at this time was extremely limited. However, any potential impact was assessed to be outside the criminal justice system. When further information emerged in March 2017, Home Office officials informed Ministry of Justice officials, who then briefed their Ministers.