Tory PPE tsar linked to Covid contracts

THE Government’s personal protective equipment tsar has financial or personal connections to seven companies awarded state coronavirus contracts, a New York Times investigation has found.

Lord Deighton, appointed an adviser on PPE in April, has links to two companies that have won orders related to PPE.

One of these was Honeywell Safety Products, which secured a £58 million contract to provide safety equipment in May.

The company is a subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc, in which the Tory peer holds shares.

There is no suggestion of any impropriety by him.

He is also a shareholder of Astrazeneca, Accenture and UBS, three companies that were awarded contracts to fulfil other elements of the government’s Covid-19 response.

Meanwhile N.M. Rothschild, a company of which his wife Lady Alison Deighton is a former director, won a contract for consulting services.

Two other government coronavirus contracts were awarded to companies with senior figures known to Lord Deighton, 64, who was initially brought in to boost UK manufacturing of PPE, a role that was later expanded to involve giving broader advice on protective kit.

There is no evidence to suggest the companies won contracts due to their connection with the peer.

The government said he did not have a role in approving PPE contracts, nor in the government’s coronavirus response beyond PPE.

His financial interests were properly declared in the House of Lords register.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Proper due diligence is carried out for all government contracts and we take these checks extremely seriously.

“We have a robust process which ensures that orders are high quality and meet strict safety standards.”

The Telegraph attempted to reach Lord Deighton yesterday for comment.