Covid test events did not see outbreaks

TEST events held at sporting, music and other venues have not caused any Covid-19 outbreaks, the UK Government has said.

The FA Cup final at Wembley, the Brit

Awards and the World Snooker Championships have been among the initial pilot events, with more planned.

Culture minister Nigel Huddleston, responding to an urgent question on the events research programme, told the Commons: “Although we are not yet in a position to publish the full report, I can assure the House that post-event data closely monitored have not shown any evidence of the events causing outbreaks.

“If they had, we would have communicated that information urgently.”

Shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens asked about the whereabouts of data associated with the events research programme (ERP), saying: “Why won’t the Government tell the public, tell the industry and tell us what the results are, because all of those who have spent time and money organising and hosting test events – and those relying on this programme – would like to see the results.”

The minister said the ERP report is “subject to a comprehensive and rigorous co-ordination and approval process across departments and academic institutions”, adding: “Those involved in the latest phase, phase three, have been approached based on the advice of what we’re looking for in order to get the information we need out of the events research programme, they were approached on an equal basis and we’ll be announcing further

ERP programmes shortly.”

Conservative former minister Mark Harper told MPS his “fear” is that the data has not been published because “it would have demonstrated that we could have safely opened on June 21”.