Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people contacted the fast track ‘VIP lane’ for emergency procurement contracts to offer (1) personal protective equipment, and (2) COVID-19 testing equipment or services; and of this number, how many were awarded contracts.

The Department’s buying unit received offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) from approximately 16,000 companies and individuals commonly referred to as the ‘priority’ channel. Of the suppliers assessed through this channel, 47 of 493 obtained contracts.

There was no formal ‘priority’ channel to assess offers of testing kits or services.