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.

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.