Britain's official Covid-19 Inquiry has concluded that billions of pounds of taxpayer money were wasted during the pandemic after years of inadequate planning left the country unprepared for a global health emergency. The report paints a damning picture of emergency procurement, expired stockpiles and costly purchasing decisions made under pressure.
INR Report: Based on reporting by RT HERE
Inquiry delivers damning findings
Britain's official Covid-19 Inquiry has concluded that the country wasted billions of pounds in public funds after entering the pandemic without adequate preparation for emergency procurement and distribution of essential medical supplies.
The fifth report from the Inquiry, chaired by former High Court judge Baroness Heather Hallett, found that nearly £10 billion of the approximately £14.9 billion spent on personal protective equipment (PPE) was ultimately wasted.
Combined spending by the UK Government and devolved administrations on PPE, ventilators and testing equipment exceeded £42 billion between January 2020 and June 2022.
Britain entered the pandemic unprepared
The Inquiry concluded that Britain was "simply not ready to compete" in the international race for medical supplies.
It found that emergency procurement plans had not been adequately tested, while large quantities of PPE held in national stockpiles had already expired before the pandemic began.
The report also criticised Britain's heavy reliance on overseas suppliers, particularly China, which left the country vulnerable once global demand surged and governments began competing for limited supplies.
Healthcare workers were reportedly forced to improvise protective equipment in some cases, using items such as bin bags, shower caps and privately purchased equipment while official supplies remained unavailable.
Emergency purchasing criticised
Evidence presented to the Inquiry described the frantic search for ventilators and protective equipment as resembling the "Wild West," with intermediaries and speculators driving up prices as governments competed for scarce supplies.
The report was also critical of the Government's High Priority ("VIP") procurement lane, which fast-tracked offers from suppliers referred by ministers, Members of Parliament, peers and senior officials.
Baroness Hallett concluded that the process undermined public confidence by creating perceptions of unfairness and weakening transparency in public procurement.
Previous findings
The latest report builds on earlier findings from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Previous Inquiry reports concluded that the British Government acted "too little, too late" during the early stages of the pandemic and that delays in introducing restrictions contributed to additional deaths.
The Inquiry has also previously criticised decision-making within then Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, describing aspects of Cabinet culture during the pandemic as dysfunctional.
Does This Affect New Zealand?
For New Zealand, this report goes beyond Britain's procurement failures. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the New Zealand Government also authorised unprecedented levels of public spending, emergency procurement and economic intervention. Those decisions continue to influence the country's public finances, with taxpayers carrying the long-term cost through higher government debt.
The pandemic response also had profound personal consequences for many New Zealanders. Vaccine mandates resulted in some workers losing their employment when they declined vaccination, while many businesses struggled through prolonged restrictions and changing public health requirements. Families, employers and communities continue to debate whether the balance struck between public health measures, individual rights and economic impacts was appropriate.
As official inquiries overseas examine how emergency decisions were made and whether public money was spent effectively, similar questions naturally arise in New Zealand. Citizens are entitled to ask not only whether emergency powers achieved their intended objectives, but also whether public officials exercised those powers responsibly, whether procurement decisions delivered value for taxpayers, and what mechanisms exist to hold decision-makers accountable when significant errors or waste are identified. In a democracy, accountability for major public decisions ultimately matters because it underpins public trust.
Source
Original Article: RT — Billions of UK taxpayers' money wasted during Covid – inquiry
Independent reporting. Original context. Credited sources.