The cost of tests provided by NHS Test and Trace for travel abroad are going to be slashed as part of a review of the current system.

The Department of Health said a test for UK travellers arriving in the country from green list destinations will cost £68, down from £88.

Those coming from amber list countries who have not been fully vaccinated will now pay £136 for two tests, rather than £170.

People coming back into the country from abroad have to take a test after two and eight days and can get them either from the NHS or a private company.

There has been concerns that the service provided by some companies varies wildly, with customers reporting tests not arriving on time or waiting weeks for results.

Some providers have been charging Brits desperate for a holiday £200 or more for a test, making trips abroad prohibitively expensive for many.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has launched a 10-day internal review starting this weekend of the pricing and standards of service from providers.

Announcing the probe, Mr Javid said that the cost of PCR testing can be ‘a barrier’ to people who were looking forward to taking a summer holiday.

Consumers and families need to be protected from ‘exploitative practices’, according to Mr Javid, who said he wants to ensure that high quality tests are available at a reasonable price.

The Government is listing private providers where tests are available on its website but many have reported problems with accessing their services.

Mr Javid said: ‘Any provider found to be misleading the public will be kicked off.

‘Too many providers are acting like cowboys and that needs to stop. The public should be allowed to enjoy their summer holidays without having to face excessive costs or anxiety.’

But the move has been criticised by some in the travel industry who say it is ‘little more than tinkering.’

Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the small reduction ‘does not go anywhere near far enough to meaningfully cut the costs of travel.’

She called on the Government to ‘get a grip on testing and replace costly PCR tests with more affordable rapid tests for low-risk countries and bring international travel in line with the rest of the economy’.

This week, Conservative MP Henry Smith, who is the chairman of the Future of Aviation All-Party Parliamentary Group, said private Covid-19 tests should be capped at £40.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has already launched a review on testing and is looking at whether there are any ‘immediate actions’ that can be taken to improve the system.

The CMA said it is looking at three areas – whether individual PCR providers may be breaching their obligations under consumer law and should be subject to enforcement action; whether there are structural problems in the market for PCR tests, affecting price or reliability; and whether there are any immediate actions that the Government can take in the meantime.

George Lusty, the CMA’s senior director for consumer protection, said: ‘It is essential that people paying for PCR tests are treated fairly, get what they pay for and that their rights are respected when things go wrong.

‘We will not hesitate to take enforcement action if we find evidence that PCR providers are breaching consumer law.

‘We are also working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to get the data we need to identify the cause of any wider problems in the PCR testing market, and to ground our advice on what action may be needed.

‘This is a particularly pressing issue just now for families hoping to enjoy a well-earned holiday after such a difficult year, and for those reuniting with friends and relatives overseas.

‘That is why we are also providing ongoing support to DHSC, including on steps that could be considered in the interim, before the rest of our work on the PCR testing market is concluded.’

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