Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2022 to Question 94344 on Schools: Coronavirus, what engagement he has had with representatives of businesses (a) manufacturing and (b) fitting air purification technology in the UK (i) before the tender was published, (ii) after the tender was published but before the contract was awarded and (iii) since the contract was awarded.

This tendering was undertaken initially by NHS Test and Trace who explored the market with a variety of representatives of businesses involved in manufacturing and fitting air purification technologies prior to issuing the tender. There was no engagement with businesses involved with this technology between issuing the tender and awarding the contract. The UK Health Security Agency followed public procurement policy, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-sector-procurement-policy

Officials have ongoing discussions with successful suppliers as part of setting up the study and the ongoing management of the contract(s).