The Covid inquiry has released its report examining government procurement of personal protective equipment during the pandemic, identifying significant systemic failures in planning and purchasing decisions.
According to the inquiry, the UK wasted almost £10 billion of taxpayers’ money on PPE, representing roughly two-thirds of the £14.9bn total spent by the UK and devolved governments on such equipment. The report noted that large quantities of expired equipment were included in pre-pandemic stockpiles, with only one-third of masks in England’s supply being usable at the time the pandemic began. Scotland had no supplies of the top-level FFP3 masks required by healthcare professionals. The country’s initial stockpile was described as being in a “perilous state,” leaving the UK unable to compete effectively in the global market for new supplies when demand surged.
Chair Baroness Heather Hallett criticized the “vast” waste in procurement decisions and stated that better planning would have produced fairer and less costly outcomes. She noted that while it was preferable to have excess PPE rather than insufficient supplies during an emergency, the government could have calibrated purchases more closely to actual needs. The lack of adequate planning, information systems, and preparedness meant that equipment reached those who needed it more slowly than necessary, and some healthcare workers resorted to using makeshift protection such as bin bags.
The inquiry also examined the “VIP lane” system introduced in April 2020 in England, which gave priority consideration to PPE supply offers accompanied by recommendations from ministers, MPs, members of the House of Lords, or other senior officials. Hallett described this approach as a “misguided attempt at prioritisation” that “embedded unfairness in emergency procurement,” stating it was “inherently biased towards those with connections to the UK government.” She recommended the system never be repeated in future pandemics. However, the chair found no evidence of cronyism or corruption among officials and ministers in awarding contracts.
The inquiry did not include findings on PPE Medpro due to an ongoing criminal investigation into the firm. The company was awarded government contracts worth more than £200m after being recommended by Conservative peer Baroness Michelle Mone and has been ordered to repay £148m following a High Court finding that it breached a supply contract. The National Crime Agency investigation remains active, with no charges filed to date and both Mone and her husband denying wrongdoing.