Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to provide (1) transparency, and (2) accountability, concerning money returned to public funds by defaulting suppliers of personal protective equipment.

In my remarks of 30 November 2022 in response to Baroness Smith of Basildon, Volume 825, column 1785, I committed to place further information on the money returned to the taxpayer to date in the Libraries of both Houses. While we cannot currently report on ongoing discussions with providers of personal protective equipment deemed as unsatisfactory, we will do so where these engagements have concluded. Officials are currently collating and validating this information and determining how Parliament can be regularly informed of progress in future.