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Liverpool Echo

Lizzy Buchan & Zoe Peck

Free Covid lateral flow tests will 'absolutely not' be scrapped says Education Secretary

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said there are "absolutely not" any plans to scrap free lateral flow tests amid reports people could begin begin charged for the devices.

He said the UK had been a "behemoth" of testing during the pandemic and he was "puzzled" by the reports, reports The Mirror.

Asked if universal free lateral flows would be scrapped, he told Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday: "I saw that story this morning, which I was slightly puzzled by because I don't recognise it at all.

READ MORE: Taxi rank killer robbed, burgled and stole in life of shame

"This is absolutely not where we are at.

"For January alone, 425 million lateral flow tests coming in and they will continue to be available for free.

"I don't really recognise where that story is coming from."

Pressed on whether there were plans to begin charging for lateral flow tests, he said: "Absolutely not".

More than £6 billion has been spent on the mass testing programme using the devices.

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UK: Brawl breaks out at Holi event in Harrow, one held

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