The UK government’s fast-tracking of suppliers recommended by officials and politicians may have led to “systematic and partisan bias” in the awarding of contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE), according to a new report.
Last year, the existence of a high-priority channel to assess potential PPE suppliers referred by government officials, ministers, MPs, peers, senior NHS staff and other health professionals, was revealed by the National Audit Office.
A report by Transparency International UK published today found that knowledge of the VIP lane appeared to be "confined to only those within the party of government in Westminster".
