DISGRACED privateer Serco has seen its profits soar off the back of running the coronavirus test-and-trace scheme, despite previously claiming that it stood to make nothing from the pandemic. 

The outsource giant said today that its operating profit was up by 31 per cent to £116 million in the six months to June. 

Serco’s announcement came after the firm said in June that it expected to make between £120m and £125m in that period due to its work in running large parts of the national test-and-trace system.