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 to Question 59768 on Protective Clothing: Storage, what is the (a) weekly and (b) daily cost of storing personal protective equipment in the containers.

Since this unprecedented global pandemic began our absolute priority has been saving lives. Our estimates of demand for essential personal protective equipment (PPE) relied on reasonable worst-case scenario planning, information about the prevailing Infection Prevention Control guidance and the likely number of patient interactions in every healthcare setting. In this reasonable worst case, we needed to purchase significant amounts of PPE and there was significant pressure on Government to act quickly and decisively.

As a result, from April to October 2022, the estimated weekly cost of storage in containers was £1.8 million and the estimated daily cost was £253,000. In the same period, the estimated weekly cost of storage in warehouses in the United Kingdom was £2.6 million and the estimated daily cost was £371,000.

On 31 October 2022, there were 7.9 billion items of PPE or 60.1% stored in warehouses. There were 4.4 billion items of PPE or 33.7% stored in containers and 810 million items or 6.2% stored in supplier storage. Supplier storage includes the use of warehouses and containers.

We are currently reducing excess stock, including the cost of storage in all settings and further information will be available in due course.