How Boris Johnson’s government wasted £10bn on PPE during Covid pandemic

• The government squandered £10bn of taxpayer money on personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• A UK Covid-19 inquiry report found that nearly two-thirds of the £14.9bn spent on PPE was wasted due to overbuying and acquiring substandard equipment.
• The report criticised Boris Johnson’s government's 'VIP Lane', which prioritised PPE suppliers with political connections, as "inherently biased" and "misguided".
• This 'VIP Lane' allowed referrals from politicians and senior officials, leading to favourable treatment for certain companies.
• Inquiry chair Heather Hallett stated the system should not be repeated, although the inquiry did not explicitly identify cronyism or corruption.

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Covid inquiry latest: UK wasted £10bn on poor-quality PPE during pandemic, damning report finds