Oral Answers to Questions

Allan Dorans Excerpts

Tuesday 6th December 2022 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the steps taken by his Department to secure value for money in procuring PPE during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay)]

We procured personal protective equipment at pace so that we could protect the frontline and save lives. In a highly distorted market, we worked around the clock to secure the life-saving PPE that we needed.

[Allan Dorans]

The Secretary of State will be aware of the high-profile reports in the media regarding Baroness Mone and her connection with PPE Medpro, contact with Government Ministers and the use of a VIP lane in relation to the procurement of PPE. Will he assure me—and more importantly the public—that a full and thorough investigation will take place into these matters and that, following that investigation, the report will be made public?

[Steve Barclay]

I can do much better than that. We have commissioned a full investigation and inquiry into the Government’s handling of covid and, as part of that, I am sure that the inquiry will look at PPE. But it is important to put it into context. We secured 23.2 billion items of PPE, which was a huge step, done at pace, to help protect our frontline.