The losses, revealed in the Department of Health and Social Care’s annual report shows that the UK Government lost £4.7 billion on personal protection equipment (PPE) because the market price of equivalent stock was lower than the price paid.
In addition, £4 billion was spent on kit that was either faulty or surplus to requirements, which brought losses to £8.7 billion from total expenditure of £12.1 billion on PPE.
The Financial Times further reported that Tory Ministers also lost £1.2 billion in orders for equipment that could not be cancelled, including items “that cannot be used for their intended purpose” or which passed their expiry date.
Earlier this year the High Court also ruled that ministers acted unlawfully when they created a special VIP lane for potential suppliers who had links with Tory politicians or senior officials.
More recently, news emerged that unelected Conservative Baroness Mone allegedly lobbied Tory ministers to secure business for “PPE Medpro” to supply masks and medical gowns.
She did not declare that she had an interest in the firm. It has since been revealed that an offshore trust from which she and her children benefit received almost £29 million from the company’s profits.
Kenneth Gibson MSP commented:
"Billions of pounds of taxpayers money has been lost through Tory ineptitude relating to PPE. A clear example of their incompetence.
“Independence for Scotland is the only to uphold democracy and escape the economic mismanagement of Westminster governments we don’t vote for.”
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