Government to sue PPE firm linked to Tory peer Michelle Mone for £122m
19 December 2022, 16:58 | Updated: 19 December 2022, 17:23
The government has issued civil legal proceedings against PPE Medpro, a firm who were awarded a £122m contract during the pandemic on the recommendation of Tory peer Michelle Mone.
Mone took a leave of absence from the Lords after news of her link to the company surfaced at the beginning of December, with the government describing Baroness Mone as the "source of referral" for PPE Medpro.
Announcing proceedings on Monday, the government awarded the contract via the so-called 'VIP lane' of personal recommendations during 2020.
Contract recommendations from officials, peers and ministers were given priority, with statistics proving they were 10 times more successful than other bids during Covid.
Mone continues to assert she did not benefit from the profits made by PPE Medpro, with her lawyers stating she "had no role or function in PPE Medpro, nor in the process by which contracts were awarded to PPE Medpro".
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Following the news, PPE Medpro said it would "rigorously" defend the claims.
The company also labelled the move a "cynical attempt" by the government to recover costs.
A statement issued by the firm said: “PPE Medpro will demonstrate to the courts that we supplied our gowns to the correct specification, on time and at a highly competitive price.”
It added: “The case will also show the utter incompetence of DHSC to correctly procure and specify PPE during the emergency procurement period. This will be the real legacy of the court case and it will be played out in the public arena for all to see.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson: “We can confirm we have commenced legal proceedings in the High Court against PPE Medpro Limited for breach of contract regarding gowns delivered under a contract dated June 26 2020.
“We do not comment on matters that are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings."
Lady Mone is said to have contacted Cabinet Office minister Lord Agnew about the firm before the contract bid was directed to the VIP lane.
Mone's absence from the House of Lords means she is not currently sitting as a Conservative peer and continues to assert her innocence amid the ongoing allegations.
The House of Lords has also launched an investigation into her link to PPE Medpro and whether she unduly benefitted from such contracts.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson: “We can confirm we have commenced legal proceedings in the High Court against PPE Medpro Limited for breach of contract regarding gowns delivered under a contract dated June 26 2020.
“We do not comment on matters that are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings."
