Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the scientific basis is for phasing out symptom free covid-19 testing; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the phasing out of that testing on covid-19 infections.

Rapid asymptomatic testing is an important tool to help reduce the spread of the virus, while supporting people to manage their own risk and the risks to others. The Government will therefore continue to provide the public with access to free lateral flow tests in the coming months, in particular as we respond to the Omicron variant. People are encouraged to use regular rapid testing to help manage periods of risk, such as after close contact with others in a higher risk environment, or before spending prolonged time with a more vulnerable person. We will continue to use testing as an important line of defence. With the emergence of Omicron, it is not the correct time to make such a change.

We announced in our Autumn and Winter plan 2021 in September that, at a later stage, universal provision of lateral flow devices will end. When it is appropriate to make that change, we will publish more about our reasoning and how the public can continue to access the tests they need.