The Covid inquiry will hold private hearings to examine details about the government’s awarding of multimillion-pound PPE contracts to PPE Medpro, a company with links to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone.
Dame Heather Hallett, the inquiry chair, ruled that making the evidence public could jeopardise an ongoing National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.
The NCA has been looking into potential criminal offences in the handling of the two PPE Medpro contracts, worth a combined £203 million, since May 2021. The agency argued that releasing certain witness statements and documents in open session risked prejudicing any possible future jury if charges are brought.
In her ruling, Hallett said she had reviewed “sensitive” material and determined there was “a risk of harm or damage to the possible criminal proceedings” if all evidence were disclosed. However, she rejected the NCA’s bid to exclude PPE Medpro entirely from the inquiry, deciding instead that sessions relating to the company will be heard behind closed doors, with up to five journalists in attendance. Any transcripts would remain confidential until the end of potential criminal proceedings.
PPE Medpro’s rapid entrance into a government “VIP lane”—a fast-track system for suppliers with political connections—has attracted intense scrutiny. In March 2022, it emerged that Mone had first approached Cabinet Office ministers Michael Gove and Theodore Agnew, who were overseeing procurement at the time. Documents revealed that Doug Barrowman, Mone’s husband, was paid at least £65 million from PPE Medpro’s profits, with £29 million reportedly transferred into an offshore trust set up for the benefit of Mone and her children.
Although Mone and Barrowman had initially denied any links to the company, they admitted publicly in December 2023 that they had misled the media about their involvement. Both continue to deny any criminal wrongdoing.
The Covid inquiry will focus on how public officials handled vital PPE procurement during the height of the pandemic. Families of Covid victims, who have been seeking a thorough examination of the VIP lane and the role played by private firms, have criticised the decision to hold these Medpro hearings in private. They argue that transparency is paramount, especially given prior revelations about widespread delays and potential inefficiencies in the awarding of contracts.
Ministers have acknowledged that government departments were slow to disclose procurement documents, blaming changes in staff and evolving record-keeping practices. Public sessions on government procurement, due to begin on 3 March, are still expected to shed some light on broader controversies surrounding pandemic-era sourcing of protective equipment.