Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
The public inquiry into Covid will be commencing a series of hearings on Monday, focusing on the procurement and distribution of billions of pounds worth of medical supplies during the pandemic. A total of £48 billion was reportedly spent on personal protective equipment (PPE), the test-and-trace program, hospital supplies, and the vaccine rollout. Transparency International revealed that nearly 10% of contracts were awarded to companies associated with the Conservative government in power at that time.
Bereaved families have raised concerns about the inquiry potentially being a cover-up, especially after it was disclosed that representatives of PPE suppliers would not be required to provide testimony. The fifth section of the inquiry is set to feature 50 witnesses, ranging from law experts and civil servants to politicians and transparency activists. Key areas of scrutiny will include the value of contracts granted to companies during the pandemic, measures to prevent fraud, and the operation of the “VIP lane” for government contract awards.
Established in April 2020, the “VIP lane” aimed to expedite offers to supply PPE if they came with recommendations from ministers, MPs, or other high-ranking officials. This initiative was justified by the urgent need to safeguard healthcare workers, though subsequent analysis by the National Audit Office revealed disparities in contract allocation between suppliers in the high priority lane and others. The government’s procurement of over 30 million masks, gowns, and other PPE items, totaling £14.6 billion, will be a focal point of discussion in this section of the inquiry.
Claims of whitewashing have emerged from bereaved families who feel that the inquiry is shielding PPE suppliers from accountability. Lobby Akinnola, whose father succumbed to Covid in April 2020, emphasized the importance of holding individual suppliers responsible for their actions. The inquiry clarified that it is focusing on the government’s response to suppliers’ offers rather than undertaking criminal investigations into specific firms or individuals. As the inquiry continues its thorough examination of various pandemic-related matters, further phases are planned to delve into the care sector, test-and-trace system, impact on children, and economic consequences
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.