Vaccines minister says Matt Hancock was not 'economical with the truth' on PPE

11 June 2021, 09:52 | Updated: 11 June 2021, 09:57

Do you think Matt Hancock has been economical with the truth?

Ewan Quayle

By Ewan Quayle

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was not 'economical with the truth' over Covid testing and personal protective equipment (PPE), the vaccines minister told LBC this morning.

Nadhim Zahawi told Nick Ferrari that Mr Hancock had shared "all the information that is available to him" when he was grilled by MPs yesterday.

It comes as Mr Hancock faces accusations of “trying to rewrite history” after telling a parliamentary inquiry into the Covid-19 response that there was never a national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Mr Hancock was accused by former Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings of repeatedly lying about the supply of protective equipment but denied the allegations at the Health and Social Care Committee.

"It is an imperfect world that we live in," Mr Zahawi said, "we entered this pandemic with some massive challenges."

READ MORE: Matt Hancock tells MPs he has 'no idea why Cummings has a problem with me'

READ MORE: 'My dad went to work using gloves and a scarf as PPE': Bereaved son responds to Hancock

Asked about Mr Hancock's assertion that no NHS workers had died as a result of PPE shortages, Mr Zahawi continued: "If you look at the National Audit Office report when they look at the national system, and they did their own survey of the national system, there was not a national shortage."

But the minister said he did not want to "disregard" what the body said about the experience of NHS staff, who he said "may have faced certain challenges and shortages".

Nadhim Zahawi has defended Matt Hancock after Thursday's committee session
Nadhim Zahawi has defended Matt Hancock after Thursday's committee session. Picture: PA Images

It follows over four hours of questioning at the Health and Social Care Committee, where Mr Hancock struck back at Mr Cummings' accusations of lying, failing on care homes and "criminal, disgraceful behaviour" on testing.

But a senior MP chairing the committee said the claims would remain unproven because he has failed to provide supporting evidence.

Mr Hancock said he has "no idea" why he was targeted by the former aide but was aware he wanted him sacked, suggesting the aide briefed his desires to newspapers.

READ MORE: Health Secretary says 'another pathogen like Covid will happen within 100 years'

READ MORE: UK to donate 100 million Covid vaccines to countries within weeks, PM announces

"I think the best thing to say about this, and this will be corroborated by lots of people in Government, the best thing to say, is that Government has operated better in the past six months," the minister said.

On testing, Mr Zahawi said: "When we entered this pandemic, we could only do 2,000 tests a day but over the last seven days we did over six million tests in the United Kingdom.

"We will learn the lessons there of course - there's going to be a public inquiry which will look at all the evidence and we will report to all the select committees as well."

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Exclusive
The mural on the wall of the Golden Chippy

A Greenwich fish and chip shop that's causing a stink over painting, as owner tells LBC he's 'determined to keep mural up'

Rishi Sunak’s job is under threat from a plot of backbench Tory MPs who want to replace him with Penny Mordaunt before the general election.

Tories 'need to stop messing around and get behind the Prime Minister,' Business Secretary tells LBC

Exclusive
'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

'Floating voters' unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

LBC's 'Floating Voters' left unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

Leila Khaled, who hijacked planes, will appear via video link at a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Andy Street wants police to look at the event

'I'm not comfortable with it': West Mids Mayor to speak to police amid fury over Palestinian hijacker’s fundraiser

Andy Street taking calls from the public on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Tory MP's claim that Birmingham has 'no-go areas' was 'ridiculous', West Midlands Mayor tells LBC

Minister quizzed on tweet where he described Trump as 'cancer'

Minister Bim Afolami says tweet in which he referred to Donald Trump as 'a cancer' is appropriate

Lee Anderson

Police 'looking into hate speech complaint against Lee Anderson' after MP said Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists

Richard Tice said he turned down two Tories who tried to join the party

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says he rejected two Tory MPs who tried to defect in the last year

Michael Tomlinson repeatedly refused to answer Nick Ferrari's question

Nick Ferrari cuts off minister who refuses to answer his questions nine times over Lee Anderson's 'Islamophobic remarks'

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for 'Islamist' comments as he doubles down on criticism of Sadiq Khan

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

PM denies Tories have 'Islamophobic tendencies' as minister says Lee Anderson's comments were 'profoundly wrong'

Dame Esther Rantzen has told LBC why she is campaigning to change the law on assisted dying

‘Dogs get treated better than humans’, Esther Rantzen says, as TV legend demands assisted dying law change

Rishi Sunak (l) puts on a brave face to the Tories by-election defeats on a visit to Harlow. New Kingswood MP Damien Egan (top r) and Wellingborough MP Gem Kitchen (bottom r)

Rishi Sunak begs frustrated Tories 'not to put Starmer in power' after party suffers double by-election disaster

New Labour MPs Damien Egan and Gen Kitchen

'They are not very good results': Tory chairman admits after double by-election drubbings as MPs call for tax cuts