Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 28 March 2022 to Question 125389 on Protective clothing: Procurement, how much his Department has spent on defending legal challenges from the Good Law Project regarding the use of the high priority lane for personal protective equipment contracts; and how much was paid by the Good Law Project towards the Department's costs.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Up to the end of October 2023, the Department has spent £3,884,214 excluding VAT on defending legal challenges from the Good Law Project. £337,000 has been recovered to date from the Good Law Project in costs.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2023 to Question 184346 on Protective Clothing: Contracts and with reference to the National Audit Office report entitled Investigation into the management of PPE contracts published 30 Mar 2022, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that report's findings that not all due diligence checks on companies not were completed before contracts were awarded for personal protective equipment procurement.
Answered by Will Quince
The 2022 National Audit Office (NAO) refers to an ‘eight stage due diligence process’, a term used by the NAO to describe a structured process of checks and due diligence on potential suppliers of personal protective equipment (PPE) which formalised the checks quickly put in place by the cross-Government PPE procurement cell and which evolved in March and April 2020. The final step was the introduction of a central clearance board on 4 May 2020 to perform checks previously performed by the Department’s Accounting Officer to add an extra level of assurance that the deal met our requirements. From the start all suppliers were evaluated by officials on financial standing, technical compliance and ability to perform the contract.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many due diligence checks on companies not were completed before contracts were awarded for personal protective equipment procurement.
Answered by Will Quince
All offers of personal protective equipment submitted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic went through a structured, documented due diligence process before a contract was awarded by the Department.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish details of the contract agreed for the purchase of Single Use Theatre Protective Clothing by Collaborative Procurement Partnership LLP (CPP LLP) acting on behalf of Supply Chain Coordination Ltd (SCCL), which was valued at £1,774,730,734.19 and awarded on 1 April 2020.
Answered by Will Quince
This order for Single Use Theatre Protective Clothing was placed by Collaborative Procurement Partnership LLP, acting on behalf of Supply Chain Coordination Ltd (SCCL), using an existing SCCL framework agreement and the associated terms and conditions, so no new contracts were put in place.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on his Department's plans for responding to the Humble Address Motion of 6 December 2022 on Government PPE contracts.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department wrote to the Committee in February to update on progress. The Committee published the letter and we remain on course to provide the information as framed in our letter.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2022 to Question 104233 on NHS: Protective Clothing, what percentage of the 176 personal protective equipment programme contracts that his Department are examining have had funds recovered as of 18 January 2023.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department recently placed a note in the libraries of both Houses providing an update on progress made by the Contract Dissolution Team.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many PPE contracts were involved in his Department’s Anti-Fraud Unit’s recovery of £18 million in PPE fraud.
Answered by Will Quince
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has not been used to recover personal protective equipment (PPE) funds lost through fraud since March 2020. Four contracts were involved in the Department’s recovery of £18 million of PPE spend lost due to fraud.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on how many occasions his Department’s Anti-Fraud Unit has made use of its powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to recover funds lost through PPE fraud since March 2020.
Answered by Will Quince
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has not been used to recover personal protective equipment (PPE) funds lost through fraud since March 2020. Four contracts were involved in the Department’s recovery of £18 million of PPE spend lost due to fraud.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant the Answer 15 November 2022 to Question 83599 on NHS: Protective Clothing, when he plans to publish details of legal fees for disputed contracts.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department continues to undertake due process on disputed contracts. While it would potentially be prejudicial to the legal process to provide the information requested, the Department expects to publish a summary of the total legal fees when the contract resolution process is concluded.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has recovered from fraudulent personal protective equipment contracts as of 12 December 2022.
Answered by Will Quince
As of 12 December 2022, the Department has recovered £18 million related to personal protective equipment contracts, through additional examination and checks on contracts identified as heightened risk and contract management to prevent loss.