Mone facing NCA interview over £200m Covid PPE deal
BARONeSS Mone faces the prospect of being interviewed under caution by investigators probing a £200million Covid PPe deal.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has raided six properties, including the peer’s home in London, as part of a probe into contracts for masks and medical gowns supplied during the pandemic which were never used.
Now it has emerged that the former lingerie tycoon, 50, is likely to be interviewed by the NCA as part of the fraud investigation into PPe Medpro, which received £200million of contracts from the Department of Health after she recommended it to ministers in 2020.
The NCA probe is expected to take months but it is anticipated that she will be questioned as part of their inquiry, a source said.
The Scots peer – who was nicknamed Baroness Bra after being appointed as a Conservative peer by then Prime Minister David Cameron seven years ago – has denied any wrongdoing.
In January, Martin Jelley, the Lords standards commissioner, announced he was investigating whether Lady Mone, a former lingerie tycoon, should have registered an interest in the company or if she broke any lobbying rules.
In response, the peer said: ‘I completely refute these allegations. I was asked to help at a time of national emergency. I declared all necessary interests and have done nothing wrong. I will co-operate fully with any investigation.’
An NCA spokesman said: ‘We do not routinely confirm or deny the existence of investigations or the names of those who may or may not be under investigation.’
Yesterday a legal representative for Lady Mone declined to comment.