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England’s £23bn test and trace programme condemned by MPs

‘Unimaginable’ level of spending made no ‘measurable difference’ to spread of virus, report finds

England’s test and trace programme failed to make a “measurable difference” to the spread of the pandemic despite an outlay of £23bn, an “unimaginable” level of expenditure, a parliamentary spending watchdog has claimed.

Meg Hillier, chairman of the House of Commons public accounts committee, said the test and trace programme had cost the equivalent to the annual budget of the Department for Transport.

British taxpayers “cannot be treated by government like an ATM machine”, she said. “We need to see a clear plan and costs better controlled.”

In May last year, Boris Johnson, UK prime minister, told MPs that a “world-beating” test and trace scheme would be in place by June 1 2020. However, the programme was beset with problems, such as long test turnround times and delays in reaching contacts of infected people.

The initial lockdown last spring was followed by further orders to stay at home in the autumn and winter. Hiller said the test and trace programme was supposed to have avoided the need for further lockdowns but added that this “promise” had been “broken, twice”.

https://www.ft.com/content/9948d23a-...7-f97c9f8eb956