Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether regulation 32(2)c of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 applies to procuring vendors in making preparations for a second wave of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department assesses the market conditions for procuring supplies related to any procurement, including those relating to COVID-19, in accordance with procurement guidance and regulations. Where any procurement meets the tests for the use of Regulation 32 then that approached will be used; where it does not, other approaches will be considered.