An intense legal confrontation is commencing at the High Court today as the UK Government endeavours to reclaim £122 million from PPE Medpro, a company that received Covid-era contracts following a recommendation from Conservative peer Michelle Mone.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is pursuing the return of funds disbursed for 25 million sterile surgical gowns provided in 2020, which were deemed unsuitable for NHS use. Additionally, the department is claiming an extra £11 million for storage, disposal, and related costs, along with interest.
This case revolves around two contracts exceeding £200 million that were allocated through the government’s notorious “VIP lane”—a procurement process expedited for companies with political ties during the pandemic. PPE Medpro secured a £122 million gown contract and an £80.85 million deal to supply face masks.
At the time, both Mone and her husband, Isle of Man financier Doug Barrowman, denied involvement in the company. However, a series of investigations by The Guardian later disclosed that Mone had personally lobbied government ministers, including then-Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove. It was also revealed that Barrowman had received over £65 million in profits from these contracts.
In late 2023, Mone admitted she had misrepresented her connections to PPE Medpro, with Barrowman confirming he had transferred £29 million into a trust benefiting Mone and her adult children.
While the face masks provided were used, the surgical gowns were never deployed. According to the DHSC’s legal submissions, the gowns were “non-sterile”, had “invalid technical labelling”, and posed a risk to patient safety. The government asserts they were “not fit for any purpose within the NHS”.
PPE Medpro continuously denies any wrongdoing. In a recent statement, the company firmly rejected claims of breaching its obligations and vowed to defend its position vigorously in court.
The High Court case is distinct from an ongoing criminal investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into the procurement process and the couple’s financial activities. In April 2022, the NCA raided several properties associated with the pair. Earlier this year, the Crown Prosecution Service obtained a court order to freeze £75 million of their assets, an application that Mone and Barrowman did not contest. Both deny any criminal wrongdoing.
The case is anticipated to augment the scrutiny surrounding the government’s application of the pandemic procurement “VIP lane”, which has been criticised for a lack of transparency and due diligence. It also raises questions regarding the involvement of peers and politically connected individuals in advocating for lucrative public contracts.
PPE Medpro’s legal team is set to contend that the gowns were manufactured in China to the correct specifications and were sterile upon shipment. The company has maintained that its products “undoubtedly helped keep NHS workers safe” and insists the DHSC’s rejection of the gowns was unjustified.
The DHSC has declined to comment on the ongoing case. The trial is anticipated to last several weeks and could establish a significant precedent for future government undertakings to recover funds related to pandemic-era procurements.
Read more: [Michelle Mone-linked PPE firm faces £122m high court battle with government](https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/michelle-mone-linked-ppe-firm-faces-122m-high-court-battle-with-government/)
