Richard Burge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said:

“We welcome the announcement made yesterday by the Prime Minister which will see an end to restrictions that have hampered businesses, international trade and travel on 24 February. Scaling back and allowing businesses to trade under normal circumstances is absolutely necessary – it is time to facilitate and nurture the UK’s full economic recovery from Covid-19.

“However, we are concerned that the decision to remove free testing did not have the wholehearted support of Government scientists and it seems strange to ignore their advice now when science has led most of the decision making over the past two years. When we know that Covid can be transmitted asymptomatically, it seems ill-timed to withdraw free testing at this critical juncture and we urge the Government to seek further advice from its scientific advisers.”