Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any steps have been taken to limit the availability of covid-19 PCR test appointments available to the public.

NHS Test and Trace has made 100,000 additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test appointments available per day since mid-December. However, where there is exceptional demand for PCR testing, the booking portal may be temporarily paused to control the flow of tests into our laboratories and maintain the highest possible operational capacity.