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, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2022 to Question 106718 on Protective Clothing: Coronavirus, what the other PPE supplier is with which his Department is in mediation.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department is also currently in mediation with PPE Medpro.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) number and (b) proportion of (i) PPE, (ii) lateral flow tests, (iii) PCR tests and (iv) other covid-19 testing equipment are that have been manufactured by UK based companies.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government has ordered 3.9 billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE) from United Kingdom manufacturers. This represents 10.7% of all PPE ordered since the start of the pandemic. We are unable to provide the information requested for lateral flow device and polymerase chain reaction tests and other COVID-19 testing equipment as this information is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 November 2021 on Health Update, whether any companies were channelled through the high priority lane for government contracts in addition to those listed in the attachment to that statement.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since the Written Statement of 17 November 2021, it has been identified that Technicare Ltd, previously trading as Blyth Group, should have been included in the list of suppliers which secured contracts for personal protective equipment through the high priority lane. We have corrected the record and the updated list of suppliers is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ppe-procurement-in-the-early-pandemic
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2022 to Question 110376 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, on what grounds this information has been deemed commercially sensitive.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department remains in commercial discussions and therefore the information requested could prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to Government Ministers on wearing face coverings in crowded places with people they do not usually meet every day.
Answered by Lord Kamall
There is no separate guidance for the usage of facemasks worn by Government Ministers.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the Government does not recommend (a) FFP2 and (b) FFP3 face masks as offering additional protection to the wearer against covid-19.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The Health and Safety Executive does not recommend the routine use of FFP2 masks in clinical practice as these are of lower efficacy than FFP3 masks. FFP3 masks are recommended for use in some health and care settings. Infection prevention and control guidance for staff in all health and care settings states that FFP3 masks should be worn by staff caring for patients where a risk assessment indicates the need.
FFP3 masks and other higher specification personal protective equipment must be professionally fit tested to ensure that air flows through the filter rather than around the mask. If these masks are provided without fit testing, it is not clear that they will be effective. Additionally, it may be difficult for members of the public to safely and comfortably wear a fitted mask for extended periods of time. Face coverings are no longer mandated by law.
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, what the total value is of unused personal protective equipment procured by his Department from (a) Worldlink Resources Ltd and (b) Meller Designs Ltd during the covid-19 outbreak; and whether he has taken steps to recoup money paid to those suppliers.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his oral contribution of 25 November 2021, Official Report, column 446, what the evidential basis was for his statement that the National Audit Office has access to minutes of a conference call on 9 April 2020 between the former hon. Member for North Shropshire and a Health Minister.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The NAO has a right of access to documents and materials which it reasonably requires to carry out its functions. In addition, I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Government response to Humble Address Motion on Randox contracts (HC 1072), where a note of the conference call of 9 April 2020 has been published.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2022 to Question 97125 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, what the total cost was to the public purse of storage for personal protective equipment purchased during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The total cost of storage and warehousing from April 2020 to August 2021 was £677.6 million.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the amount (a) spent in 2020-21 and (b) of projected spend in 2021-2022 is on the purchase of (a) PCR tests, (b) lateral flow tests, (c) PPE and (d) other covid-19 testing equipment.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are unable to provide the amount spent in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years on the purchases of PCR tests, lateral flow device tests and other COVID-19 testing equipment, as this information is commercially sensitive.