Asked by: Lord Tyler (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 26 October (HL8435), why the need to act with “extreme urgency” did not lead them to award a personal protective equipment (PPE) contract directly to the Chinese PPE manufacturers instead of to a company with no experience of an import on this scale, substantial losses in its most recently reported accounts, and significant net monetary liabilities at the time of the contract award.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). The aim was to reach these suppliers ie who had experience of supplying PPE and also those who had no prior experience but who had access to sources of PPE through their business contacts. This has resulted in 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. All offers were prioritised based on volume, price, clinical acceptability and lead time – this is the time from an offer being accepted by the Department to the supplier delivering those items. These were often established private businesses whose net asset position is only one factor in evaluating their offer.
Asked by: Lord Tyler (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what due diligence and tendering process they followed when awarding a contract to Platform-14 for personal protective equipment (PPE); what was the total contracted sum; and what proportion of the PPE supplied was found to be usable by the NHS.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Guidance on how contracting authorities should respond to COVID-19 was published on 18 March 2020. Authorities are allowed to procure goods, services and works with extreme urgency in exceptional circumstances using regulation 32(2)(c) under the Public Contract Regulations 2015. These include a direct award due to extreme urgency or the absence of competition. Under the regulation contracting authorities may enter into contracts without competing or advertising the requirement.
Suppliers will be evaluated by Departmental officials on their financial standing, compliance with minimum product specifications and ability to perform the contract. Contracts are awarded by the appropriate Departmental accounting officer in line with Departmental terms and conditions.
Several contracts have been awarded to Platform-14 for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) under the emergency regulations, with a total value of £276 million. Delivery is progressing for these PPE items. All items of PPE undergo a rigorous technical assurance process before they can be released for use.
Asked by: Lord Tyler (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Health will publish records of external meetings held by special advisers to its ministers.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government publishes an unprecedented amount of data; departments publish details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries’ meetings with external organisations, and special advisers' meetings with senior media figures. The information requested is not held centrally and there are no plans to extend current arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Tyler (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the final outturn for each hospital trust in England for each of the last five years; and how much the surplus or deficit was as a proportion of each trust’s total budget.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Data by individual National Health Service trust and foundation trust is attached.
NHS trusts and foundation trusts do not receive budgets directly from the Department. They receive income for the provision of services from NHS commissioners. We have therefore provided details in the attached annex of operating income by NHS trust and foundation trust.