The COVID study will conduct private hearing sessions to investigate details about the granting of millions of PPE contracts by the government to PPE Medpro, a company with links to the conservative Peer Michelle Mone.
Lady Heather Hallett, the research chairman, ruled that making the evidence of the evidence to be a continuous investigation into National Crime Agency (NCA).
The NCA has been investigated for potential criminal offenses when dealing with the two PPE Medpro contracts, since May 2021 a combined £ 203 million worth £ 203 million.
In her statement, Hallett said that she had revised ‘sensitive’ material and established that there was a “risk of damage or damage to the possible criminal proceedings” if all evidence was announced. However, she rejected the bid of the NCA to fully exclude PPE Medpro from the investigation, whereby it was decided instead that sessions with regard to the company are heard behind closed doors, with a maximum of five journalists present. All transcripts would remain confidential until the end of the potential criminal procedures.
The rapid entrance of PPE Medpro in a “VIP Lane” of a government-a fast track system for suppliers with political connections has been attracted intense control. In March 2022 it turned out that Mone had first approached the cabinet’s ministers, Michael Gove and Theodore Agnew, who supervised the purchasing at that time. Documents showed that Doug Barrowman, the spouse of Mone, was paid at least £ 65 million of the profit of PPE Medpro, reportedly transferred to an offshore trust for Mone and her children set up with £ 29 million.
Although Mone and Barrowman had initially denied all ties with the company, they publicly admitted in December 2023 that they had misled the media about their involvement. Both continue to deny a criminal misconduct.
The COVID research will focus on how civil servants deal with vital PPE purchasing during the peak of the pandemic. Families of Covid victims, who are looking for a thorough investigation by the VIP Lane and the role of private companies, have criticized the decision to keep these Medpro hearing sessions private. They claim that transparency is paramount, especially in view of earlier revelations about widespread delays and potential inefficiencies when granting contracts.
Ministers have acknowledged that government services were slow to announce purchasing documents, to blame changes in the staff and to evolve record work practices. Public sessions about the purchasing of the government, which start on 3 March, is still expected to shed some light on broader controversies around the Pandemic era of protective equipment.