Government accused of wasting taxpayers’ money paying over odds for PPE from China
4 years, 7 months ago

Government accused of wasting taxpayers’ money paying over odds for PPE from China

The Telegraph  

Ministers have been accused of paying over the odds for personal protective equipment after rejecting an offer from a British business to supply surgical gowns to deal directly with its Chinese supplier instead. The start-up’s three employees spent a week and about £10,000 sourcing the items, including paying distributors in China to translate specifications to ensure they met NHS requirements. “This is the Government’s strategy: get all the information and go in directly,” the business owner said. The Government is stripping information and good will out of smaller companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups.” Simon Festing, chief executive of the British Healthcare Trades Association, said it was not an isolated incident.

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History of this topic

Storage of legal battle ‘sterile gowns’ costing £3.2m per year, court hears
1 year, 1 month ago

Storage of legal battle ‘sterile gowns’ costing £3.2m per year, court hears

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. He said the contract meant that PPE Medpro would sell the health department “25 …

UK's massive Covid waste? PPE kits worth $31.8 million for auction at just $600
2 years ago

UK's massive Covid waste? PPE kits worth $31.8 million for auction at just $600

Hindustan Times  

About 64.4 million surgical face masks and 3.7 million plastic aprons worth 31.8 million USD paid for by British citizens are being sold for as little as $612 in an online auction, a report said. The personal protective equipment was ordered during the peak of the Covid pandemic but never even left China as they were deemed surplus to the …

Government disputes with PPE suppliers could cost taxpayer £2.7bn, MPs warn
2 years, 5 months ago

Government disputes with PPE suppliers could cost taxpayer £2.7bn, MPs warn

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The departure from normal approaches to due diligence, record keeping, decision making and accountability …

Billions of PPE gloves bought by UK may have been made by firms using forced labour
2 years, 10 months ago

Billions of PPE gloves bought by UK may have been made by firms using forced labour

The Telegraph  

Three billion personal protective equipment gloves bought by Britain for the pandemic are under investigation amid allegations of modern slavery use by suppliers, health officials have admitted. The revelation came as MPs questioned the Government on the scale of waste during the Covid crisis after accounts revealed that taxpayers could face a £10 billion bill for items that were unused …

True scale of pandemic waste revealed, as Government fritters away £8bn on PPE that was never used
2 years, 11 months ago

True scale of pandemic waste revealed, as Government fritters away £8bn on PPE that was never used

The Telegraph  

Some £8.7 billion of taxpayers’ money spent on personal protective equipment has been written off, according to annual accounts detailing the losses accrued by the pandemic. Government documents reveal vast sums spent on goods that were never used, or were not fit for purpose, with warnings from auditors that even now, effective control of spending has not been established. According …

‘Uncompetitive’ PPE contracts handed out during pandemic failed the transparency test
3 years, 8 months ago

‘Uncompetitive’ PPE contracts handed out during pandemic failed the transparency test

The Telegraph  

Earlier this week, it also emerged that a former Conservative parliamentary candidate and party donor was involved in a £100 million deal to sell PPE equipment to the Government at the height of the pandemic. Writing weeks before the NAO is due to publish a series of “lessons learned” reports to help the Government prepare for future crises, Mr Davies …

Government ignored internal warnings over PPE suppliers accused of modern slavery
4 years ago

Government ignored internal warnings over PPE suppliers accused of modern slavery

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “They’re saying it’s our lives or their lives, so the lives of our citizens versus …

PPE suppliers now being vetted by UK's intelligence agencies
4 years ago

PPE suppliers now being vetted by UK's intelligence agencies

The Telegraph  

PPE suppliers are being vetted by the intelligence agencies, officials have said, as they reveal the Government is now suing multiple companies. Alex Chisholm, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, said the names of firms offering to sell equipment, such as masks and surgical gowns, are now being run through intelligence databases to guard against fraudsters. Giving evidence to the …

Government under fire for signing huge PPE deals with companies with links to politicians
4 years, 1 month ago

Government under fire for signing huge PPE deals with companies with links to politicians

The Telegraph  

The Government has been accused of "ripping up the rules" to sign huge PPE deals with companies recommended by MPs during the coronavirus pandemic. Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee, that watches Government spending, said she was "appalled" by the creation of a "fast-track VIP lane" that handed contracts to companies with links to politicians. Two contracts worth …

Coronavirus: 50m PPE items bought by government scrapped over safety concerns
4 years, 5 months ago

Coronavirus: 50m PPE items bought by government scrapped over safety concerns

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. It was also revealed in a legal document, sent to EveryDoctor and Good Law Project …

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