Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what safeguards his Department has put in place in respect of the awarding of contracts for personal protective equipment to avoid (a) groups of companies coordinating their bids and (b) applications from multiple companies with the same directors.

Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 requires contracting authorities to take appropriate measures to effectively prevent, identify and remedy conflicts of interest arising in the conduct of procurement procedures. The Department has robust rules and processes in place to ensure that conflicts of interest do not occur, including declaration from suppliers, publication of Ministerial interests and Departmental guidance. All potential conflicts of interest must be declared by suppliers upon registering as a new supplier with the Department.