London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m

Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m

The government is suing a company that supplied it with personal protective equipment (PPE) for £122m plus costs.
PPE Medpro won contracts through the so-called VIP lane in 2020, after being recommended by Tory peer Baroness Mone.

The government is attempting to get its money back on one of the deals in the High Court, claiming the medical gowns supplied "did not comply with the specification in the contract".

PPE Medpro said it would "rigorously" defend the claim.

The company accused the government of a "cynical attempt" to recover money from suppliers who had acted in good faith and to contract specifications.

The government says along with the £122m contract, it has so far spent £6.9m on storage costs for the kit and each week it costs over £61,000 to store the gowns. It estimates the cost to dispose the gowns would be £4.7m.

According to legal documents seen by the BBC, the government claims the "the gowns did not comply with the specification in the contract" and could not be used in the NHS. It also accuses PPE Medpro of a "breach of contract and unjust enrichment".

A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we have commenced legal proceedings in the High Court against PPE Medpro Limited for breach of contract regarding gowns delivered under a contract dated 26 June 2020.

"We do not comment on matters that are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings."

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "After nearly a year of hiding behind a mediation process with a company linked to one of their own peers, Conservative ministers have finally been shamed into action to recover taxpayers' money after damning revelations, public outcry and Labour pressure.

"Time will now tell if the shoddy contracts they drew up are sufficiently robust to retrieve the public money they carelessly handed over."

The government has previously described the PPE Medpro medical gowns deal as an "underperforming" contract.

In a statement, the company said it was clear by the end of 2020 that the government had "vastly over-ordered" PPE and would never be able to use it all.

It said consultants had been brought in to "pick over all the contracts" on "technicalities".

"PPE Medpro will demonstrate to the courts that we supplied our gowns to the correct specification, on time and at a highly competitive price," the company said.

"The case will also show the utter incompetence of DHSC to correctly procure and specify PPE during the emergency procurement period."

The company said while it was examining the allegations made by the government it refuted all of them and said its case would "seek to dismantle" them and "make uncomfortable reading for both the government and DHSC".

The government revealed last year that Baroness Mone was the "source of referral" for PPE Medpro getting a place on the so-called VIP lane for PPE offers coming from ministers, officials or peers.

In other words, she recommended the company.

VIP lane offers were treated with greater urgency and were 10 times more likely to result in contracts than offers being made outside this route.

Baroness Mone contacted Lord Agnew, the Cabinet Office minister, about the firm and he directed the offer to the VIP lane.

She is taking a leave of absence from the House of Lords, meaning she will not sit as a Conservative peer. She says she wants to clear her name amid allegations she benefitted from the contracts.

In December 2020, lawyers for Baroness Mone said she "had no role or function in PPE Medpro, nor in the process by which contracts were awarded to PPE Medpro".

The House of Lords commissioner for standards has launched an investigation into her "alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro".

But the Commissioner's website says his investigation has been paused while the matter is investigated by the police or another agency as part of a criminal investigation.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×