Almost £10bn of public money was wasted on personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic — about twice the amount spent successfully — as the government scrambled to secure supplies. Michael Gove, the lead minister in the Conservative cabinet for much of the crisis, called the colossal waste an “honest error” after the long-running Covid Inquiry published its fifth report, focusing on procurement, at midday.
Baroness Hallett’s investigation found that of the approximately £15bn of PPE purchased, nearly £10bn was wasted. The report identified problems including overbuying and the purchase of “substandard equipment” that put health and social care workers in danger.
“Covid inquiry finds £10bn wasted on PPE; Michael Gove calls it an ‘honest error’.”
Naomi Fulop, a board member of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said her mother Christina was cared for by workers who were “expected to wear one thin medical mask for an entire eight-hour shift”. She added: “We believe that is how she contracted Covid. She later died in hospital. The same avoidable tragedy was repeated in hospitals, care settings and homes across the country.”
The inquiry also condemned the so-called fast-track system for awarding contracts, known as the High Priority Lane or VIP lane, saying it “embedded unfairness in the UK government’s emergency procurement system”. Baroness Hallett’s report stated: “It was a misguided attempt at prioritisation, caused by a fundamental lack of readiness rather than ill-intention. The High Priority Lane should not have been set up and should not be repeated.”
One chapter of the latest report has not been published as it concerns PPE Medpro Ltd, the company linked to Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman. The inquiry said the information is subject to a Restriction Order “to ensure that ongoing criminal investigations are not undermined”.
The investigation into the UK’s handling of the pandemic has been running for more than four years and is due to publish five more reports before it concludes. The next, focusing on the care sector, is expected in the autumn.
