PPE Medpro Ordered to Repay £122m After High Court Ruling on Unsterilized Gowns
PPE Medpro, a company established by a consortium led by Doug Barrowman, has encountered a significant setback. The High Court ruled that the firm failed to demonstrate that its surgical gowns had been sterilized, resulting in a £122m repayment to the Department of Health and Social Care.
The government had awarded PPE Medpro the contract through its 'VIP lane' system, intended to expedite supplies during the pandemic. However, the High Court found that the gowns supplied were unusable and did not meet contractual standards. The UK Serious Fraud Office has since filed charges against the company for unauthorized deliveries worth £122 million.
The legal battle, initiated in 2022, saw Baroness Mone initially deny then admit to potential profit from the contracts. Despite the government's claim for £8.6m in costs for transporting and storing the items, the High Court denied this request.
The ruling has been welcomed by health minister Stephen Kinnock, while Baroness Mone and Doug Barrowman have criticized it. PPE Medpro must now repay the £122m it received, with the company facing charges from the Serious Fraud Office.
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