Emergency Covid Contracts Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Emergency Covid Contracts

Mark Fletcher Excerpts
Tuesday 29th June 2021

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Julia Lopez Portrait Julia Lopez
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Yes, I believe that the Public Accounts Committee will be updated on the second Boardman report in July. With regard to the first Boardman report on communications contracts, we are working through all the recommendations. I believe we are up to 20 of 24, but we will endeavour to complete that process by the end of the year.[Official Report, 12 July 2021, Vol. 699, c. 2MC.]

Mark Fletcher Portrait Mark Fletcher (Bolsover) (Con)
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From the onset of the pandemic, the contracts we have signed have allowed us to procure billions of items of PPE and secure vital lifesaving equipment at a time of unprecedented global demand. Does my hon. Friend agree that if we had dithered and delayed, if we had not explored every possible opportunity, and if we had not tried to take advantage of every olive branch that was offered, the public would never have forgiven us and the Opposition would be sitting here today saying exactly the opposite: that we did not act quickly enough?

Julia Lopez Portrait Julia Lopez
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I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I believe that the Opposition asked us to strain every sinew at the time of the pandemic, and that is what we did.