MPs have mocked the government for boasting about its transparency record after it finally published a list of politically connected companies that won COVID contracts following months of resistance.
The list shows which firms were given lucrative contracts to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) after being referred to a ‘high priority lane’ by MPs and political insiders.
The government said publishing the information was “above and beyond” its transparency obligations, but claimed it had done so as “a measure of our commitment to openness about procurement processes during the pandemic”.
