Covid inquiry report finds 10 billion pounds wasted on PPE, criticizes VIP lane
The Covid inquiry report found that nearly 10 billion pounds was wasted on PPE due to government failures, and criticized the VIP lane for being unfair and biased.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The UK's official Covid inquiry has published its fifth report, finding that nearly 10 billion pounds of taxpayers' money was wasted on personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. The report, led by Baroness Heather Hallett, concluded that the government's failure to plan adequately left frontline health and care staff without proper protection, forcing some to improvise with bin bags and shower caps. Of the approximately 14.9 billion pounds spent on PPE, almost two thirds, or 10 billion pounds, was deemed wasted on equipment that was unusable, expired, or never needed.
The inquiry was particularly critical of the so-called 'VIP lane', which gave preferential treatment to suppliers with connections to the Conservative government. Baroness Hallett said the system was 'completely inappropriate' and 'undermined public trust'. However, she found no evidence of cronyism or corruption in the awarding of contracts. The report did not include evidence on the firm PPE MedPro, linked to Conservative peer Baroness Michelle Mone, due to ongoing legal proceedings. A criminal investigation into that company is continuing.
The report makes 11 recommendations for future pandemic planning, including overhauling supply chains, improving stockpiles, and ensuring transparency in procurement. The government said it would 'carefully consider' the findings. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the speed of procurement, saying he was 'very proud of the result', while former minister Michael Gove acknowledged 'honest mistakes' but denied any corruption.
Bereaved families expressed anger and grief. Naomi Phillips, whose mother Christina died of Covid in January 2021 after being cared for by workers without adequate PPE, said she held the then government responsible for her mother's death. The inquiry continues, with further modules expected to examine other aspects of the pandemic response.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | Channel 4 | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nearly £10 billion of the approximately £15 billion spent on PPE was wasted. | · | |||
| The VIP lane for PPE suppliers was criticised as inappropriate and undermining public trust. | · | |||
| No evidence of cronyism or corruption was found in the award of PPE contracts. | · | · | ||
| Staff were forced to use bin bags or bin liners for protection due to lack of PPE. | · | · | ||
| No other country used a VIP lane for PPE procurement. | · | · | · | |
| The government said it would carefully consider the report's recommendations. | · | · | · | |
| The government's PPE procurement was described as an 'omnishambles'. | · | · | · | |
| The report did not include evidence on the PPE firm MedPro due to ongoing legal proceedings or criminal investigation. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC One West focused on the human impact of the PPE failures, using a witness statement from a nurse who had to use bin liners, and the personal story of Naomi Phillips. The tone was factual and measured, with health editor Hugh Pym providing detailed analysis of the report's findings and the VIP lane controversy.
- “The waste of taxpayers' money was vast. It is a stark fact that of the approximately £15 billion spent on PPE, nearly two-thirds, almost £10 billion, was wasted.”
- “She said that was completely inappropriate.”
- “The findings are very clear that ultimately it came down to who you knew and that's leading you to the front of the queue to supply PPE and get these big contracts as opposed to a demonstrable track record in supplying high quality PPE.”
ITV1 emphasised the scale of waste and the impact on frontline staff, with a strong focus on the VIP lane undermining public trust. It also noted the ongoing criminal investigation into PPE MedPro, which was not covered in the report, and highlighted that the report made 11 recommendations for future preparedness.
- “The scramble to buy PPE during the kovat pandemic saw the UK waste almost 10 billion pounds of taxpayers money”
- “the so-called VIP lane for suppliers was misguided and undermined public trust”
- “this report does not include evidence on the PPE firm MedPro linked to the conservative peer Baroness Michelle Moan that company was ordered to repay almost 150 million pounds to the government for breaching a contract to supply PPE a criminal investigation is ongoing”
5 News used video diaries from healthcare workers to illustrate the harsh reality of inadequate PPE, and included a powerful personal story from Naomi Phillips whose mother died. The tone was emotional and critical, describing the government's response as an 'omnishambles'. It also noted the government's promise to consider the recommendations.
- “10 billion in fact, of our tax money was wasted scrambling to get medical equipment.”
- “What we saw unfold here was an omnishambles, a scramble in procurement, supply and distribution resulting in chaotic pandemics.”
- “The report outlines recommendations for future pandemic planning, something the government says it will carefully consider.”
Channel 4 took a strongly critical stance, highlighting that the VIP lane was 'unfair, biased and expensive' and that no other country did this. It included Michael Gove's refusal to apologise and the disappointment of bereaved families that no cronyism was found. The report also covered the unrelated story of Ann Widdecombe's murder, but the PPE segment was detailed and confrontational.
- “They wasted £10 billion and set up an unfair, biased and expensive VIP lane for contracts.”
- “No cronyism, no corruption, mistakes, yes, but honest mistakes.”
- “No other country in the world did this.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.