China is paid millions to store our PPE

THE UK is storing three billion pieces of personal protective equipment in China, it has emerged.

The health department is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds each month to store the surplus PPE.

Health minister Maria Caulfield said this week the Government has 17.7billion items of PPE and more than a sixth is stored in storage units and warehouses in China.

It is thought to be worth more than £1billion and cost £5.8million in storage between September and December last year.

It means the Government sending millions of pounds each year to China, branded ‘cheques to China’ by the Taxpayers’ Alliance. The think-tank said the revelations will ‘shock’ taxpayers and urged the Government to sell or dispose of the excess stock.

The Department of Health and Social Care said its priority during the pandemic was ‘saving lives’. A spokesman said: ‘We have been reducing our logistics cost over time and continue to do so.’