• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

UK’s PPE procurement a ‘truly tragic waste’ of public cash, High Court told

The government spent millions on PPE that was "useless to the NHS", the Good Law Project alleges.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2021-05-19 09:29
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

The UK government made “significant mistakes” in its procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic, leading to a “truly tragic waste” of hundreds of millions of pounds spent on items that were “useless to the NHS”, the High Court heard on Tuesday.

The Good Law Project has embarked on a high-profile judicial review, alleging that the government “spent vast sums of money” without applying due diligence, in a purchasing process that was “fundamentally not transparent, unequal and unfair”.

The not-for-profit campaign group is suing the government, claiming it breached duties of transparency last year by awarding nine PPE contracts – worth £700 million – to three companies: Ayanda Capital, Pestfix and Clandeboye. 

Of the PPE purchased, it claims “a substantial proportion was “unfit for purpose” for use by the NHS.

Jason Coppel QC, representing the Good Law Project, told the High Court that the government’s procurement process led to “very serious concerns as to the management of large amounts of public money”.

“Enormous quantities of equipment were purchased without proper technical checks, at inflated prices,” he added.

Coppel said that £595 million was splurged by the government on contracts to supply PPE from Ayanda and Pestfix – but “well over half was wasted”, as it was not suitable for use.

RelatedPosts

Watch: Tories take a beating as BBC QT heads to Inverness

Steve Bray fundraiser nears a quarter of a MILLION pounds

Labour MP asks whether US-born Boris should be deported for breaking the law

No10 says PM had no reason to block appointment of Pincher as deputy chief whip

Last year, the National Audit Office revealed that the government established a fast-track VIP lane to purchase billions of pounds of PPE from little-known companies with political contacts in the Conservative party.

Suppliers with links to Tory politicians were ten times more likely to be awarded contracts than those who applied to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

By the end of July, more than 8,600 contracts worth close to £18 billion had been awarded – and £10.49 billion of those were awarded directly to the supplier without any competition or tendering process. In some instances, due diligence was not carried out until weeks after contracts were awarded.

The “high-priority lane” was open for companies referred by government officials, ministers, MPs and peers – sources “considered to be more credible”, the report said.

Roughly one-in-ten suppliers processed through the VIP channel – 47 out of 493 – obtained lucrative PPE contracts, compared to less than one-in-a-hundred suppliers that came through the ordinary lane.

“Ministers did not want contacts to have to wait in line on the [procurement] portal like everyone else. They wanted personal handling of their contacts,” Coppel told the court. 

“There was no quality requirement for referral to the VIP lane. In fact the only criterion for entry was a nepotistic one,” Coppel said in written arguments.

The health department responded that it “wholeheartedly rejects” the claims against it. Michael Bowsher QC, representing DHSC, said in written submissions: “PPE was desperately needed, and in large quantities. This was a public health emergency.

“Important decisions needed to be taken at speed, or else opportunities would have been lost and the UK would not have had the PPE supply which was so desperately needed.”

The case continues.

Related: Tory-linked firms given VIP access to PPE contracts worth billions – report

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Good Samaritan leaving gifts for NHS workers in hospital car parks

Business leaders: We want to hear from you

There’s a bouncer shortage and people aren’t sure if it’s a good or bad thing

If Danny Dyer starts a revolution against the Eton mess I’ll be beside him screaming ‘Nice one Bruvvaaaaaa’

Watch – Goose goes for a job alongside members of a running club

Insulate Britain protests cost police £4.3 million

Prime Minister will ask for Brexit delay if no deal reached

Super Bowl XLIX – Seattle Seahawls v New England Patriots

Public approval for Government handling of COVID-19 falls to lowest level in 7 weeks

Coronavirus UK – As Govt close pubs Wetherspoons boss criticised over ‘hardly any transmission in pubs’ claims

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.