Labour calls for inquiry into 50m face masks that NHS cannot use
LABOUR HAS called for an inquiry into the Government’s purchase of 50m face masks, as part of a £252m contract, that cannot be used in the NHS.
The masks, ordered from Ayanda Capital, have ear loops rather than head loops, and there are concerns over whether they are adequate.
The Government has confirmed in court papers that the masks, which are now in the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) logistic chain, will not be used in the NHS.
But Tim Horlick, the CEO of
Ayanda Capital, insists the masks are not unsafe or unusable, adding that none of his company’s products have ever been rejected by the DHSC for any reason.
The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, which are suing the Government over its Ayanda contract, estimate the 50m masks would have cost more than £150m.
It comes as no deaths were recorded in Yorkshire in people who had previously tested positive for coronavirus yesterday, leaving the region’s total at at least 2,900.
Nationally, a further 49 deaths were recorded, bringing the total to 46,413.
Boris Johnson yesterday said he was “very disappointed that any consignment of PPE should turn out not to be fit for purpose”.
Further court documents revealed that the original approach came from businessman Andrew Mills, director at a company called Prospermill, which had secured exclusive rights to the full production capacity of a large factory in China to produce masks and offer a large quantity almost immediately.
The legal document revealed
Mr Mills requested DHSC’s contractual counterpart should be Ayanda rather than Prospermill. Ayanda already had an established international banking infrastructure, whereas Prospermill’s own bank had indicated it could take some time to set this up on its own account.
The Government also said in court papers that Mr Mills is an adviser to the UK Board of Trade and a senior board adviser at Ayanda. Mr Mills told the BBC his position played no part in the award of the contract, the broadcaster reported.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “For months we were told that the Government was purchasing the right equipment for the front line. Yet again it hasn’t happened.
“There needs now to be an investigation, an inquiry, into what went wrong with this particular contract because it’s just not good enough to people who need that protective equipment that we find ourselves in this position.”
A Government spokesman said: “There is a robust process in place to ensure orders are of high quality and meet strict safety standards, with the necessary due diligence undertaken on all Government contracts.”
It’s just not good enough that we find ourselves in this position. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.