Cheaper PCRS for Scots travellers as testing ‘market’ to open up
TRAVELLERS returning to Scotland from green or amber list countries will now be permitted to use private sector tests, bringing the country into line with England.
Those coming back from overseas trips previously had to book NHS home PCR tests via the Scottish Government booking portal, which uses the company Corporate Travel Management (CTM). The Welsh government uses the same system.
The change, which is coming into effect in Scotland early next month, will allow travellers to choose from a list of approved providers for the return test, which must be taken within two days of arriving home.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said it had been made possible by enhanced monitoring of the “performance and reliability” of private testing providers to ensure public health safeguards are maintained.
Any providers that fail to meet stringent performance measures will be removed from the list.
The current system as it stands has led to accusations Scots are paying higher charges than in England, where travellers have been allowed to use private companies, some of whom are said to be charging as little as £20 for a test.
Failure to arrive in Scotland without proof of a negative test can result in a £480 fine.
Richard Mowe, who is due to travel to Paris at the end of the month, said he paid £136 for a PCR test from CTM.
He said he was later offered a reduced price of £68 after speaking to another traveller and is now waiting for a refund.
Mr Mowe, who is director of the UK French Film Festival, lodged a complaint with the Competitions and Markets Authority, saying Scottish travellers were being hit with higher “discriminatory” test charges because one company had been allowed to “monopolise” the system.
He said: “There are 20 providers – maybe even more – in England and the price varies between them, whereas in Scotland, and also in Wales, you can only opt for this one provider.
“I was only alerted to the fact that £68 was a possibility by someone who was travelling to Switzerland. When I went back they said I clicked on the wrong link but I was clicking on the link that I was given by the NHS Scotland helpline so I automatically landed on the higher price.
“In France, a test such as this is administered personally by a pharmacist with very quick results for approximately €20.”
The rules for returning to the UK vary depending on whether the country you are travelling from is on the green, amber or red list.
Failure to arrive in Scotland without proof of a negative test can result in a £480 fine.
Mr Yousaf said the change in policy would give travellers greater flexibility and “provide a boost for the tourism and aviation sector”.
He said: “We have had regular engagement with the UK Government to understand the measures being taken to ensure test results will be communicated rapidly and reliably to both individuals and to contact tracing services.
“We have also been reassured that any positive results will be genomically sequenced to quickly identify any variants of concern.
“The decision carefully weighs the benefit to the travel sector against our responsibility to the wider public health, and is a further endorsement of the resounding success of our domestic vaccination roll-out.”
Self-isolation is no longer required for international travellers arriving from amber list countries, provided they are fully vaccinated through a UK, EU or US vaccination programme and take a PCR test on the second day after arrival.
The current list of eligible test providers can be found on the gov.uk website.