Coronavirus: Hancock pledges to 'tackle' asymptomatic testing amid stretched capacity

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The health secretary has pledged to "tackle" asymptomatic coronavirus testing amid a huge surge in demand which has resulted in some people having to travel for hours to a testing site.

Matt Hancock said there had been an "increase" in people booking tests without needing one and suggested the rise in demand was to blame for the long distances some people are being asked to travel.

The government has been under pressure to improve its testing system after reports some people were being asked to travel 100 miles for a test.

Mr Hancock denied the testing system is failing, but suggested around 10% of people having to travel more than 22 miles for a test.

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The Cabinet minister urged people to only book a test if they need one and said requesting one because of an up-coming holiday was an inappropriate reason.

"If you don't have symptoms you can't just come forward and get a test," Mr Hancock said, adding: "The tests are there for a reason and they're there to find out if people who have symptoms have coronavirus".

Mr Hancock, who himself tested positive for the virus earlier in the pandemic, said the government hasn't "had to take action" against people who book tests without needing them so far, but suggested that could change.

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"As demand has increased we've suddenly seen this increase in people coming forward who don't have symptoms coming forward for a test, so we're going to have to be clearer about that and we're going to have to tackle that," he said.

Free tests are available to people with symptoms of coronavirus - a fever, new and continuous cough or a loss or change in sense of taste or smell - and for some others such as those who have been instructed to do so by a doctor or local council and some essential workers.

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The Government's testing system in England has been heavily criticised, with Labour calling it a "fiasco" on Tuesday.

This week, the health secretary pledged that no-one would be instructed to drive more than 75 miles for a test.

Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "It beggars belief that after weeks of encouraging people to have a test if feeling unwell, ministers are seeking to blame people for simply doing what they were advised.

"With children returning to school and thousands returning to the office, it's obvious extra testing capacity would be needed.

"The fact ministers failed to plan is yet more staggering incompetence. "