Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Seventeenth Report - Government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd
Public Accounts Committee
HC 28
Published 27 July 2022
Conclusions (5)
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department of Health & Social Care (the Department) and the UK Health Security Agency (the Agency) about the government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd (Randox) during the COVID-19 pandemic.2 Government correspondence and other …
Government Response Summary
The government provides background information on the contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd during the COVID-19 pandemic but doesn't respond to any specific recommendation.
17
Conclusion
Randox asked for government help within weeks of being awarded its first contract to enable it to deliver its contracted level of tests. Randox needed access to specialist testing equipment held in universities and other laboratory facilities, which it and other suppliers received after ministers requested equipment loans on their …
18
Conclusion
Not Addressed
The first contract was originally intended to run for 12 weeks, ending in June 2020. However, Randox faced difficulties meeting the service levels specified in the contract. There were a number of reasons for this, including Randox taking longer than expected to increase capacity as well as lower than forecasted …
Government Response Summary
The response addresses a different conclusion/recommendation (conclusion #19) about holding Randox to account.
20
Conclusion
For its first testing contract with Randox, the Department paid a price of £49.60 per single test. The contract price included the cost of supplying test kits, laboratory processing, transporting test kits and completed samples, and reporting of results. The Department could not provide details of contract negotiations prior to …
21
Conclusion
The Department said that in relation to contract pricing, it did not consider the advantage to Randox that might be gained by the company winning early government contracts for testing (for example, from setting itself up as an established provider of testing services). The Department reiterated that the focus at …