Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-departmental assessment was made following the confirmation by the European Commission on 17 March that the UK was entitled to participate in the EU’s joint procurement arrangements for personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 related supplies; and what decision was reached as a result.

The United Kingdom Government is working round the clock with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment such as ventilators.

As part of this national effort, we are working with international partners to make sure that we can increase supplies of medical equipment within the NHS and to deliver a strategy that provides the best outcome for the UK.

The UK is eligible to take part in European Union Joint Procurements during the Transition Period and we are participating in the joint EU procurement scheme on therapeutics that is soon to launch. We will consider participating in other future schemes on the basis of public health requirements, including any on PPE.