Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will increase funding for local covid-19 contact tracing.

Since 2020, over £2.1 billion has been provided to local authorities to support public health measures such as contact tracing through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), with £400 million allocated in 2021/22.

We are currently assessing the future use of the COMF. We continue to work with local authorities to ensure that the funding provided in 2021/22 delivers the objectives of Local Outbreak Management Plans. The specific public health activities funded from the COMF are determined by local authorities with Directors of Public Health.