LONDON - Britain's test and trace system needs to be improved, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Tuesday, adding that the government had no choice but spend a lot of money on it during the coronavirus crisis.

"We have to get through this coronavirus and I'm afraid there has been no other option but to spend a lot of money," Shapps told Sky News. "We've said that we want test and trace to be a lot better."

The 'Test and Trace' system, the government's COVID-19 testing and contact tracing facility, has been heavily criticised after a series of high-profile failures since its launch earlier this year and has cost 22 billion pounds.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Michael Holden) ((sarah.young@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 1109; Reuters Messaging: sarah.young.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))