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 61151 on Protective Clothing: Storage, what the average (a) daily, (b) weekly and (c) monthly cost has been of the storage of that personal protective equipment in the latest period for which data is available.

Estimates of demand for essential personal protective equipment (PPE) relied on reasonable worst-case scenario planning, information on the prevailing infection prevention control guidance and the likely number of patient interactions in healthcare settings. This required the Government to purchase significant amounts of PPE in a short period of time.

From April to September 2022, the average monthly cost for storage of personal protective equipment in China is £3.2 million. Based on the monthly average, it is estimated that the average weekly cost of storage in China is £740,000 and the average daily cost is £106,000. We are currently reducing the excess stock, including the cost of storing PPE in China and further information will be available in due course.