Oral Answers to Questions

Gary Sambrook Excerpts

Monday 4th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mark Eastwood (Dewsbury) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking with UK manufacturers to increase the supply of personal protective equipment.

[Gary Sambrook (Birmingham, Northfield) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking with UK manufacturers to increase the supply of personal protective equipment.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Gove]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for the work that he, along with so many others, has done in order that generous offers of support can be processed efficiently. As I mentioned, we have 10,436 organisations with whom we have been in contact. But specifically with regard to UK manufacturing, there are 201 manufacturers with whom we are in touch at the moment, 180 of whom are qualified to provide PPE and 22 of whom are going through the technical product review necessary in order to ensure that their personal protective equipment is appropriate.

[Gary Sambrook]

While the number of offers of help from UK manufacturers to produce PPE is high, unfortunately many will simply not be able to meet the medical standards required. What help can the Government give to those companies who wish to play their part in this national effort?

[Michael Gove]

Again, I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the efforts that he and his constituents are making. It is the case that specifications of the type of personal protective equipment required in a health and social care setting have been shared by the NHS and by Public Health England, but it is also the case that companies are in a conversation with the Department of Health and Social Care about what more they might be able to do to augment those who are not necessarily operating in those settings.