Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish details of any contracts for the purchase of personal protective equipment in 2020, for which they have financially assisted the contractor in any way, including (1) partial or complete up-front payment, or (2) payment in any other manner.

Advanced payments have been used on a number of contracts awarded to suppliers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each contract is different; some are payment on delivery and others are a percentage of payment upfront. Our approach has been to take some managed risk in order to secure supplies in an exceptional and globally highly competitive market. Contracts have break clauses in them, meaning if the company supplies faulty products or misses delivery dates, we can cancel the contracts and reclaim our money.

Over 900 contracts have been awarded by the Department and its executive agencies to suppliers for the delivery of goods and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide a validated assessment of whether an advanced payment has been agreed or not for each of these orders would involve disproportionate cost.