High Court Rules in Favor of UK Government in PPE Contract Dispute

The UK government has secured a legal victory against PPE Medpro, a firm at the heart of a contentious dispute over PPE supply contracts during the COVID-19 crisis. London's High Court awarded £122 million in damages to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), after ruling that PPE Medpro breached a June 2020 agreement by providing 25 million surgery gowns that were improperly sterilised.

Allegations of cronyism plagued the Conservative government during the pandemic, with PPE contracts reportedly awarded to those with political connections, including via a VIP lane. PPE Medpro, associated with Conservative lawmaker Michelle Mone, argued that the gowns met contractual standards and the DHSC was simply experiencing buyer's remorse. Judge Sara Cockerill found against PPE Medpro, asserting that the gowns lacked appropriate validation of sterility.

Despite the court ruling, uncertainty lingers over the government's ability to recover the £122 million, as PPE Medpro has filed a notice to appoint an administrator, and its recent accounts reveal net assets of less than £700,000.