LONDON — Britains decision not to join an EU procurement scheme to buy equipment needed to tackle coronavirus was a “political” choice, one of the countrys top civil servants told MPs on Tuesday.
Asked at the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee about the policy advice given to ministers over the collective sourcing of ventilators and protective equipment for health care professionals, Simon McDonald, head of the diplomatic service at the Foreign Office, said: “It was a political decision.”
The U.K. mission to the EU had “briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer, and the decision is known,” he said.
However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock later appeared to contradict McDonalds claim. When asked about the comments at Downing Streets daily press conference, Hancock said: “As far as I am aware there was no political decision not to participate in that scheme. We did receive the invitation in the Department of Health … it was put up to me to be asked and we joined so we are now members of that scheme.”
“However, as far as we know that scheme hasnt delivered a single item of PPE [personal protective equipment for health care workers],” he added.
Following Hancocks comments at the press conference, foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat tweeted that he had received a letter from McDonald withdrawing his comment. The letter stated that due to a “misunderstanding,” McDonalds assertion that not participating in the EU scheme was a political choice was “incorrect.”
“The facts of the situation are as previously set out,” the letter read, adding that “owing to an initial communication problem” the U.K. missed the chance to participate in the first four joint COVID-19 EU procurement schemes. McDonald added that the “health secretary has set out the govRead More – Source
LONDON — Britains decision not to join an EU procurement scheme to buy equipment needed to tackle coronavirus was a “political” choice, one of the countrys top civil servants told MPs on Tuesday.
Asked at the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee about the policy advice given to ministers over the collective sourcing of ventilators and protective equipment for health care professionals, Simon McDonald, head of the diplomatic service at the Foreign Office, said: “It was a political decision.”
The U.K. mission to the EU had “briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer, and the decision is known,” he said.
However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock later appeared to contradict McDonalds claim. When asked about the comments at Downing Streets daily press conference, Hancock said: “As far as I am aware there was no political decision not to participate in that scheme. We did receive the invitation in the Department of Health … it was put up to me to be asked and we joined so we are now members of that scheme.”
“However, as far as we know that scheme hasnt delivered a single item of PPE [personal protective equipment for health care workers],” he added.
Following Hancocks comments at the press conference, foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat tweeted that he had received a letter from McDonald withdrawing his comment. The letter stated that due to a “misunderstanding,” McDonalds assertion that not participating in the EU scheme was a political choice was “incorrect.”
“The facts of the situation are as previously set out,” the letter read, adding that “owing to an initial communication problem” the U.K. missed the chance to participate in the first four joint COVID-19 EU procurement schemes. McDonald added that the “health secretary has set out the govRead More – Source
