Recommendation 13

We asked the Department for an update on the current position of contracts it had entered into in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department has now identified 17 Q 43 18 Q 79 19 Q 88; DHSC 2020–21 ARA, page 123 20 C&AG’s Report, The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, Session 2019–21, HC 961, 25 November 2020 21 C&AG’s Report, The supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, Session 2019–21, HC 961, 25 November 2020 22 DHSC 2020–21 ARA, page 16, paras 66–67, page 132, paras 683–684 23 C&AG’s Report, paras 6, 7 24 Q 67 25 Q 65; DHSC 2020–21 ARA, page 115 12 Department of Health and Social Care 2020–21 Annual Report and Accounts issues of concern on 176 of the 364 (48%) PPE contracts it entered into. The 176 contracts total £3.9 billion. 59 of these contracts have moved to commercial discussions with 27 under legal review and 3 in mediation.26