Coronavirus

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The shadow raises concerns about test shortages in hotspots, staffing shortages in Lighthouse labs, and backlogs in pillar 2 labs. He questions the government's failure to expand NHS lab capacity during summer and fix contact tracing.

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The MP asks if the Secretary of State remains confident that test issues can be solved in a week, given recent instances where residents had to travel long distances for tests.

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With covid cases doubling every week, is the Secretary of State concerned that laboratory capacity for diagnostic testing is not keeping pace with demand? Can he confirm whether he plans to increase NHS funding for hospital laboratories across the UK?

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Why can five people play football but two connected families cannot meet, despite local rates permitting? Will the Secretary of State look at flexibility when local rates permit and also exclude under-12s from the rule?

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How is the Secretary of State addressing issues with testing centres turning people away due to lack of communication between Deloitte and local authorities?

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What measures is the Secretary of State taking to improve access to testing for people who need it? When can those with symptoms expect to get tests when and where they need them?

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How will the Government look at guidance for schools to access testing as children return and flu season begins?

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How can the Secretary of State ensure people in Rhondda and Ogmore can get tests despite high infection rates? What reassurance can he give disabled constituents who need home tests?

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What reassurance can the Secretary of State give a disabled constituent who cannot drive, has symptoms but no home test available? What priority will be given to such cases?

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What steps have been taken in cooperation with the Department for Education to ensure school bubbles are returned to school as soon as possible if they test negative?

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To what extent is there a possibility that it is the exponential increase in testing itself, in identifying genuine new cases, and the very significant possibility of false positives, that is giving a distorted impression of the trajectory of the disease?

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Work is under way to set up a walk-through testing centre at Glasgow Caledonian University in my constituency, but with universities now returning, what additional capacity is being put in place to deal with what could be an additional surge of tests that need to be processed?

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My constituents are sharing the same experiences as those of my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Jeremy Hunt), so I encourage my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to do everything he can on testing capacity. May I ask him about the rule of six? If someone is lucky—or unlucky—enough to have four very young children, under the rules they are not allowed to meet another household at all. I do hope that the Government will keep the rules under careful review and look at every possible way to make them as fair as possible for every family.

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Although I am sure that many ordinary people were thrilled to learn that the Government’s rule of six does not apply to so-called sports such as grouse shooting, for which up to 29 people can mingle, expectant mothers in my constituency and throughout the country are unable to take their partners to crucial checks during pregnancy. Currently, individual health trusts are left to make decisions on this issue, leading to a postcode lottery. Is it not time that the Government stopped passing the buck, as they did to school leaders, and instead provided national leadership across the country on matters as vital as maternity care?

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On the rule of six, I completely agree with my right hon. Friend about the importance of clarity and simplicity. Early on in the pandemic, we saw some of the problems that arise when different rules kick in in different parts of the United Kingdom. On that point, is there not a strong case for having one simple, understandable rule of six that applies right across the country and has high levels of public support? To that end, I encourage my right hon. Friend to keep an open mind about the rule of six that is in place in Wales and Scotland and the exemption of small children.

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My constituent in Barnsley has been trying for seven days to get a test for her teenage son after he was sent home from school with a temperature. She has been offered a test in Bolton, Edgbaston and Oldham, and nearly 400 miles away, in Inverness. When will the Secretary of State stop denying that there is a problem, apologise to my constituent and sort out access to testing, once and for all?

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As demand for testing increases, some of my constituents are struggling to get slots, are having to travel significant distances or are even being turned away from mobile test centres. So will my right hon. Friend confirm whether the Government’s plans to increase capacity are aiming for 10 million tests a day or the 2 million to 3 million that Sir John Bell talked about this morning? As part of that welcome boost, will my right hon. Friend look carefully at my request for a public testing site in King’s Lynn?

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Yesterday, I was contacted by an NHS nurse who had spent the weekend unsuccessfully trying to get a test for her symptomatic seven-year-old. On Friday, I visited the new Brinnington test centre in my constituency. It was very quiet, yet it seems to have been unable to offer a test to a nurse, who, it seems, will now need to take time off work. Is that what world-beating looks like? What is going on?

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Cancer Research UK estimates that the screening backlog because of covid-19 might mean that as many as 3 million people are waiting. Will the Secretary of State update us on the work he is doing to ensure that all areas of the NHS are able to carry out screening programmes and on the work he is doing to reassure people that it is safe to attend these screening tests?

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The Secretary of State will be aware of a recent survey which found that one third of children feel more anxious, sad and stressed now than before lockdown. The charity Action for Children has therefore asked the Government to prioritise children’s mental health in covid-19 recovery planning and provide adequate funding to meet this demand. Could he tell the House exactly what he has done about that and when we can expect him to announce a covid recovery mental health strategy?

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"Hands, face, space" has been the public safety message for weeks now. However, I feel that the public are not as safe as they could be. What thought has my right hon. Friend given to ensuring that face masks and hand sanitiser offer the fullest protection by regulating for the need to meet set safety criteria, whether that be the British Standards Institution standard or the World Health Organisation formula for hand sanitiser, so that we are all as safe as possible using these mitigating factors?

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Concerned about the availability of testing in Ealing, raising issues around school outbreaks, and urging for more tests to be supplied to schools and ensuring that everyone on campus gets tested.

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Asked about the difficulties constituents face booking online testing due to demand, and requested additional support for Ashfield.

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Expressed concerns about spiking numbers and lack of testing capacity, questioned whether Warrington Borough Council would receive additional support.

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Asked about young children being turned away from schools due to symptoms, questioned the lack of availability in local testing centres.

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Detailed difficulties constituents face in accessing testing centres, questioned the effectiveness of the system.

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Expressed sympathy for duties faced by Matthew Hancock, raised issues about testing difficulties and lack of data access.

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Cited analysis revealing backlog in cancer treatment, urged for a meeting with the Catch Up With Cancer campaign.

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Asked about decision-making process regarding pilot events and whether there is confusion in this area.

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Questioned the approach to addressing testing issues, urging Hancock to recognise existing problems and propose solutions.

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Asked about access to face-to-face GP appointments in Scunthorpe, seeking reassurance for constituents.

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People in Sandwell and Birmingham are concerned about why their whole boroughs have been locked down, not just the affected areas. They need a plan to contain the virus without paralysing society and the economy. When will we transition from reactive risk avoidance to prudent risk management?

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I welcome the massive increase in testing capacity, including mobile units in Consett. Across the north-east, we are seeing an uptick in cases. The Secretary of State has met with various north-east councils on this issue; will he give local authorities the powers they need to enable targeted local action if necessary?

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Is the Secretary of State concerned that people in England registering as coming from Aberdeen may undermine data and decision-making regarding a potential Scottish outbreak?

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May I congratulate the Secretary of State on the biggest testing regime in this nation’s history? However, constituents in Cornwall are unable to access tests. What progress is being made to expand testing capacity there?

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There are three testing centres in Coventry, but constituents have difficulty accessing tests. Some cannot book a test anywhere, while others are directed far away from their area. When will this mess be fixed?

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What would the Secretary of State say to people who point to Sweden as an example of how we can control the virus and minimise economic impact?

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My constituent Rachel’s family has self-isolated for days trying to book a test, with some being directed to Wales. At the same time, private tests are easily available at higher costs. Is this disparity acceptable?

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Two mobile testing units have been supplied to Buckingham and Aylesbury. However, many constituents still cannot access testing. Will he update the House on progress towards a permanent uplift in capacity for Buckinghamshire residents?

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The numbers with COVID-19 in Harrow are rising. Tests are available for key workers, but parents and children cannot get tests 'for love nor money'. Will he take a specific look at the circumstances in Harrow?

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We need to use every tool at our disposal to stop the spread of coronavirus. I welcome the news that the NHS contact-tracing app will be available by the end of the month, and I welcome the news that it will be available throughout England and Wales. Will my right hon. Friend join me in urging businesses in Bridgend to get prepared with the NHS QR code scan poster?

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I do not underestimate the challenges the Health Secretary has faced over the past few months, but six months on, after many, many warnings of the likelihood of a second wave and of what would happen without a fully operational test, track and isolate system in place before lifting the lockdown, unfortunately the Government are still not getting the basics right. That is happening in my constituency in Oldham. We did not have a mobile testing unit turn up and we are still not getting the data we need to trace covid-positive cases. For starters, will the Secretary of State sort out the private contractors for the national test and trace system; make sure that public health directors are getting timely, high-quality data on covid cases, including occupational workplace details; and, fundamentally, make sure our local authorities have the resources they need to trace all contacts, and ensure restrictions are understood and observed?

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Lots of my constituents in Winchester have had tests, and the Government deserve credit for that, because we as a country started from a position where we did not have a system in place. The Health Secretary had to create a system from scratch, and he had great help in that from the private sector. We certainly should not be denigrating that; we should be thanking it and expanding on that help. Given the operational challenges that the Secretary of State spoke about, I wonder whether GP surgeries, or even our wonderful community pharmacists, could be part of the solution for front-door testing. What is the cross-Government superhuman effort part II to increase lab capacity—AstraZeneca was very helpful in part I —as that seems to be the challenge outlined by my right hon. Friend?

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We have had a spike in cases in Redbridge, yet in recent days the Mildmay Road walk-in centre closed for walk-in appointments, without notifying the council or either of Ilford’s MPs. People have been struggling to get access to tests. A local secondary school says that it will close within two weeks unless staff get access to tests, and the local walk-in centre will not even share testing data, which the Secretary of State says is so important, with public health officials at the local council. It is an utter shambles. Can the Secretary of State reassure us that he will help us get a grip in Redbridge? Does he recognise from the voices we have heard across the Chamber that these problems are not only in Ilford? There are problems right across the country, and the only way that this system is world-beating is through world-beating incompetence. When will he get a grip?

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Pregnancy can be one of the most surprising, exciting, but traumatic experiences of a woman’s life. That is why this week I launched a campaign with The Mail on Sunday, calling for all NHS trusts to ensure that partners support pregnant women during all scans and all stages of labour. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that women across the country have the Government’s support, and will he push NHS trusts to stand by pregnant women?

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Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Hertfordshire, and yet in St Albans key workers, teachers, doctors and parents cannot access tests. They are frustrated for two reasons, first because they cannot get a test, but secondly because this was utterly predictable. We knew there would be a surge in symptomatic cases and we knew there would be a surge in demand from key workers. Was any modelling actually done, and, if so, will the Secretary of State publish it?

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A local high school student tested positive for covid late last week, so when parents had children from that school displaying symptoms over the weekend, they quite rightly tried to book a test but none was available on the portal. On Sunday morning, I directed one set of parents to a local walk-in centre a 45-minute drive away. The first centre had actually run out of tests, but after a drive to another walk-in centre, they eventually got one. Secretary of State, please, please, please, before we talk about the moon, can we just focus on local community testing in Marsden, Meltham, Mount and other communities in my constituency?