Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2022 to Question 78673 on NHS: Protective Clothing, how this PPE is stored; and how much it is costing per day to store.
Answered by Will Quince
The majority is stored in sites in the United Kingdom in containers, warehouses and supplier storage and approximately 120 million items are currently stored in China. The cost of storage is £770,000 per day.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to dispose of unused PPE in the Government's possession.
Answered by Will Quince
As of October 2022, the Department holds 13.2 billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE). We are maintaining sufficient supplies to respond to any future increases in demand. The Department is reducing excess stock, including through sales, repurposing, domestic and international donations and recycling. In addition, the Department is also resolving disputed contracts to enable the affected PPE to be used, replaced or refunded.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the amount of unused PPE in hid Department's possession.
Answered by Will Quince
As of October 2022, the Department holds 13.2 billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE). We are maintaining sufficient supplies to respond to any future increases in demand. The Department is reducing excess stock, including through sales, repurposing, domestic and international donations and recycling. In addition, the Department is also resolving disputed contracts to enable the affected PPE to be used, replaced or refunded.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant of the Answer of 24 October 2022 to Question 61010 on Protective Clothing: Contracts, how many people working on PPE-related contractual disputes are (a) direct employees of her Department, (b) contracted from consultancy firms and (c) on secondment from other Government departments.
Answered by Will Quince
There are no employees within the Contract Dissolution Team under direct employment, contracted through consultancy firms or on secondment from other Government departments.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2022 to Question 61011 on Protective Clothing: Contracts, what estimate she has made of the total cost to her Department of (a) management fees and (b) legal fees associated with the disputed contracts as of 24 October 2022.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department has not incurred management fees for disputed contracts. While an estimate of the total cost of legal fees is not currently held, we will finalise a forecast for these costs later this year.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate she has made of the outstanding balance of disputed PPE-related contracts.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
At the end of March 2022, the Department was involved in resolving disputes for 176 contracts with an aggregate value at risk of £2.6 billion. Further information for the first quarter of 2022/23 will be available in due course.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of PPE-related contracts still in active dispute.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
At the end of March 2022, the Department was involved in resolving disputes for 176 contracts with an aggregate value at risk of £2.6 billion. Further information for the first quarter of 2022/23 will be available in due course.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of personnel currently employed to resolve PPE-related contractual disputes.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There are currently 19 members of staff working on contract dissolution.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is currently in dispute with Agile Medical over PPE contracts.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is currently in dispute with Zest Trading UK over PPE contracts.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive.