Test and Trace 2

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 9 Jun 2021 Closed: 5 Aug 2021 Parliament page
In March this year the Committee reported on the “unimaginable” cost of the UK Government’s test and trace programme, which had nonetheless “failed to deliver on the central promise of averting another lockdown” that was used, in part, to “justify the scale of investment”. The Committee will question senior public … Read more
8 Recommendations
17 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Letter
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
21 Jan
2022
Report published
27 Oct
2021
Report published
25 Oct
2021
Correspondence
8 Jul
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
8 Jul 2021
View on parliament.uk
Test and Trace 2
Baroness Dido Harding · NHS Test and Trace Dr Jenny Harries OBE · UK Health Security Agency Jonathan Marron · Department for Health and Social Care Shona Dunn · Department of Health and Social Care Sir Chris Wormald · Department of Health and Social Care
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Trace update HC 182 27 Oct 2021 25 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
7 Conclusion Rejected
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Tra…
We asked our witnesses whether these figures meant that NHST&T had been given an unrealistic...
We asked our witnesses whether these figures meant that NHST&T had been given an unrealistic objective at the outset. The former head of NHST&T told us that it alone could not prevent a lockdown and that it was one of … Read more
Government Response
The government explicitly rejects the Committee's implied conclusion that NHS Test and Trace was ineffective, citing the Canna Model and policy documents to demonstrate its estimated transmission reduction and role in reducing positive cases.
HM Treasury
View details
11 Conclusion Rejected
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Tra…
Academics and experts have consistently noted that the effectiveness of test and trace systems rests...
Academics and experts have consistently noted that the effectiveness of test and trace systems rests on adherence to their requirements and high levels of compliance by members of the public, but these are still low for NHST&T. Of those people … Read more
Government Response
The government explicitly rejected the committee's conclusion that NHS Test and Trace had not helped break chains of transmission or enable a return to normal life. It cited the Canna Model, estimating a 10% to 28% transmission reduction, and referred to COVID-19 response plans confirming the system's role in reducing positive cases.
HM Treasury
View details
15 Conclusion Rejected
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Tra…
In 2020–21, NHST&T paid £3.1 billion to secure the laboratory capacity to process PCR tests...
In 2020–21, NHST&T paid £3.1 billion to secure the laboratory capacity to process PCR tests and £911 million for contact tracing, primarily for contact centres.30 In our March 2021 report, we found that NHST&T struggled to consistently match supply and … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation for capacity utilisation targets, arguing that PCR labs require an 80% maximum to maintain quality, demand fluctuates, and a minimum target would be impractical and costly.
HM Treasury
View details
16 Conclusion Rejected
Twenty-Third Report - Test and Tra…
The Chief Executive of the UKHSA told us that it was “extremely difficult” to predict...
The Chief Executive of the UKHSA told us that it was “extremely difficult” to predict how much NHST&T would spend on laboratory and contact centre capacity or what demand would be for these services. Witnesses assured us that arrangements had … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to establish utilisation targets, explaining it's impractical due to fluctuating demand and potential compromise of service quality, but confirms UKHSA closely manages contact centre performance and will provide a utilisation update.
HM Treasury
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 25 of 8 classified
Accepted 13
Acknowledged 1
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 4
Total 8 recs + 17 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
25 Oct 2021 Correspondence from Sir Chris Wormald, Department of Health and Social Care and Dr Jenny Harries OBE, UK Health, Security Agency, re follow up session Test, Track and Trace part 2, dated 4 August 2021
Parliament page