Doris-Ann Williams, the chief executive of the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association, said that Lord Bethel, the junior health minister, had encouraged a consortium of companies to push ahead with research and development into lateral flow tests from autumn 2020, but that the drive had been scrapped in early in 2021, with no adequate reason given.

“They threw a lot of money at it and encouraged the companies to ramp up their manufacturing capability, but when it got to the crucial point the government said it was never their intention to purchase,” she said.

“For some reason they went to the Chinese.

“It’s just baffling that you would put so much effort into UK manufacturing and then turn round and say we don’t want to purchase.”

She added: “It seemed to get caught up with the Good Law Project.”