HANSARD : Chi Onwurah:
“The Secretary of State put a lot of emphasis on testing in his statement. Inspired Outsourcing in my constituency would agree with him. It provides contact centre services, and some of its workers are key workers so cannot work from home. It has been using twice-weekly testing to keep its workers safe, but has run out of tests. It cannot get hold of any tests apart from by paying what would effectively be £2,000 a month to a private provider recommended on the Government’s website. Does the Secretary of State believe that small businesses such as Inspired Outsourcing should have access to free lateral flow tests? How can it get hold of those tests today in Newcastle, because that is what it needs to keep its workers safe and provide protection to us all?”
I was really disappointed that the Secretary of State for Health could not tell me how a small business in #Newcastle trying to protect its essential workers could get hold of tests without paying £2000 per month! Testing is critical to protect us & the NHS but we can’t get the tests!