MPs claim Covid PPE contract ‘failures’ cost UK taxpayer £2.7bn
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There were “significant failings” in the government’s management of personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts during Covid that cost the taxpayer £2.7bn, according to a crossbench committee of MPs.
A report from Westminster’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says the government is in dispute with 176 contract holders for PPE, worth £2.7bn, around the effectiveness of the equipment provided.
The report said “mismanagement of of PPE contracts” meant 4bn pieces of unused equipment were stockpiled, with large amounts likely to be incinerated as they do not meet the necessary requirements.
Whitehall spent around £13bn on PPE throughout the pandemic.
The report also claims there is little evidence to suggest that the Department of Health and Social Care will take any action against fraudulent PPE suppliers.
This is despite estimates that suggest 5 per cent of PPE expenditure involved fraud.
PAC chair and Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier said: “The departure from normal approaches to due diligence, record keeping, decision making and accountability in relation to PPE contracts puts a stain on the UK’s response to the pandemic.
“Even if you accept that some proper procedure will have to slip in times of crisis the complete collapse of some of the most well-established civil service practices beggars belief. The taxpayer will be paying for these decisions for years to come.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Despite massive inflation in prices and unprecedented global demand, we delivered over 21.4bn items of PPE to frontline staff to keep them safe, with only 3 per cent of the PPE we procured unusable in any context.
“It is simply wrong to suggest that the department does not know how much PPE it has, or where it is located. We have a comprehensive data system in place to allow us to oversee the storage network and dispose of any excess stock.
“The department also takes fraud extremely seriously and is exploring every available option – including working with law enforcement partners – to bring those who commit fraud to account and seek to recover losses.”