Health chiefs have belatedly responded to damning criticisms made by the scientist who was instrumental in setting up the Covid testing lab.

But the statement issued by the Department of Health and Social Care is far from the point-by-point rebuttal to Dr Rachel Glover’s claims it had promised.

It does, however, include an allegation of its own - that Dr Glover’s Taxa Genomics company breached an agreement to supply reagents for the lab.

In explosive testimony to the public accounts committee, Dr Glover accused the DHSC of intellectual property theft and deliberately setting out to discredit her.

A statement issued by the department said Dr Glover was invited to become part of the DHSC’s governance structures last year, but Dr Glover’s decision to ’reset her relationship’ meant this was not possible.

The DHSC said on a number of occasions it has expressed its thanks to Dr Glover for her work in setting up Covid testing.

It said is in the process of sharing all relevant documentation with the public accounts committee and looks forward to present its ’professional position’.

The DHSC said it will ’correct the position’ presented regarding intellectual property rights and confirm that alternative arrangements were already in place.

’The pathology laboratory confirmed any previous documentation/codes were no longer in use at that agreed point as they were no longer needed, and a detailed timeline of this will be provided,’ the DHSC statement reads.

’The department was disappointed that Taxa Genomics, particularly as an on island provider, did not feel able to respond to the required DHSC governance arrangements.

’Taxa then took the decision to withdraw all potential services including failing to supply reagent consumables in breach of an agreement it had entered into with the department.’

Health Minister David Ashford said the lab team at Noble’s had his full support.