Almost £10 billion of the roughly £15 billion the UK government spent on personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic was wasted, the Covid Inquiry has found.
The inquiry’s fifth report, which examines procurement, identifies overbuying and purchases of substandard equipment among the problems. It says poor-quality PPE put health and social care workers at risk.
The report also criticises the fast-track route for awarding contracts. It says the High Priority Lane introduced unfairness into emergency procurement and should not be used again.
A chapter concerning PPE Medpro, a company linked to Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman, remains unpublished under a restriction order intended to protect ongoing criminal investigations. The inquiry’s next report, on the care sector, is due in the autumn.
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