Medical Equipment: Procurement

(asked on 16th December 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to (1) repeal section 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 relating to procurement of medical supplies during emergencies such as pandemics, and (2) amend the Health and Care Bill to make provision for new public procurement policies during times of emergency or pandemics based on transparency, accountability and value for public money.


Answered by
Lord Kamall Portrait
Lord Kamall
This question was answered on 29th December 2021

The Government is transforming the regulatory framework for public procurement following the publication of a Green Paper last year. This work is being led by the Cabinet Office. Following a consultation exercise and as set out in the Government response to the consultation exercise published in December 2021, the Government proposes to retain provision allowing limited tendering in situations of extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable events (Regulation 32(2)(c) in the Public Contracts Regulations). However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed some uncertainty in applying Regulation 32 where the situation is prolonged or evolving and new measures will set out clear arrangements for how procurement should be conducted, including in situations where extreme urgency is a factor.

The Health and Care Bill does not include provisions for new public procurement policies during times of emergency or pandemics as this is a matter for the Cabinet Office’s regulatory framework for public procurement.

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