EU turns up pressure on Matt Hancock over Covid-19 PPE scheme

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, is facing fresh pressure over the protection offered to NHS staff after the European commission said the UK had been given “ample opportunity” to join an EU scheme bulk-buying masks, gowns, gloves and goggles.

After a day of confusion in Westminster over the UK’s lack of involvement in the EU’s joint procurement of equipment, a spokesman for the commission appeared to bolster the claim that ministers had taken a “political decision” to opt out.

The commission spokesman said UK representatives had been briefed on the EU plans throughout February and March when they could have signed up for the huge purchases of ventilators, laboratory supplies and personal protective equipment.

UK officials and ministers have repeatedly said the government only failed to take part in the schemes because “owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time”.

The commission spokesman told reporters in Brussels: “The EU commission already announced on 31 January that it could help member states with organisation of such joint procurement schemes and this idea of joint procurement and reporting on the state of the medical supplies of the member states was a recurring topic of the agenda of the health and security committee meetings.

“The UK was, as all other members of the health security committee meetings, aware of the work that was ongoing and had ample opportunity to express its wish to participate in a joint procurement if it wanted to do so. As to why it did not participate, this is obviously something on which we cannot comment.”

On Wednesday, the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, speaking in the Commons, announced that 69 people working within the NHS had died from the coronavirus. There are growing fears about the shortages of personal protective equipment within the healthcare system.

Raab confirmed, in response to questions from the new Labour leader, Keir Starmer, that the government needed to “strive even harder in this incredibly difficult and competitive international environment” to source protective equipment.

As the Guardian has previously revealed, UK health officials attended meetings on 31 January, 4 February, 2 March and 13 March, where joint procurement rounds for protective gear, ventilators and medical supplies were discussed.

On Tuesday, the health secretary was forced to deny claims, since retracted, by the UK’s most senior diplomat, Sir Simon McDonald, that ministers had made a “political decision” in not getting involved.

Speaking at Downing Street’s daily press briefing on Tuesday evening, Hancock said: “I have spoken to the foreign secretary. As far as I’m aware there was no political decision not to participate.

“We did receive an invitation in the Department of Health and it was put up to me to be asked and we joined so we are now members of that scheme.”

A spokesman for the European commission rebutted any suggestion that the UK was currently involved in any of the EU’s efforts to buy masks, gowns, ventilators or laboratory supplies. “They are most welcome to participate in future rounds,” the spokesman said.

The EU launched four rounds of procurement of personal protective equipment, ventilators and laboratory supplies in late February and March.

The Guardian revealed last week that UK officials failed to take up an invitation to join the steering committee of participating countries that issues orders for medical equipment until 19 March – after the bulk purchases had been made.

The UK’s involvement in the EU’s scheme would not have precluded independent efforts to source equipment. Deliveries of protective equipment to European health workers are expected within days.