Baroness Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman have accused the Covid inquiry of an “institution cover-up” after their second try and be given an official function within the inquiry was rejected.
The couple claimed they have been the targets of a “politically motivated witch hunt” after the inquiry’s chairwoman, Baroness Hallett, refused their software to be made “core contributors”.
PPE Medpro, a agency led by Mr Barrowman, was awarded authorities contracts value greater than £200m after Baroness Mone really useful it to ministers.
If authorised, the official standing would have allowed the couple to entry inquiry paperwork, make statements and apply to ask questions of witnesses.
Baroness Hallett first rejected their strategy in February, saying it got here 468 days after the deadline for purposes, and he or she didn’t settle for they’d a big sufficient function “within the issues to be investigated by the inquiry”.
She had beforehand stated her essential focus is on the strategy of ministers and the federal government, fairly than Private Protecting Tools (PPE) suppliers.
The Covid inquiry is conducting 4 weeks of hearings offers to purchase £15bn of PPE throughout Covid.
The Nationwide Crime Company (NCA) has been investigating PPE Medpro since Might 2021 over suspected legal offences dedicated within the procurement course of.
Thus far no expenses have been introduced and the Crown Prosecution Service has not been instructed within the case. Baroness Mone, 52, and Mr Barrowman, 59, have each denied wrongdoing.
A particular inquiry listening to concerning the firm will happen behind closed doorways subsequent week after Baroness Hallett stated she was happy there was a danger of prejudice to the continuing NCA investigation if “delicate proof” was made public.
In a joint assertion, Baroness Mone and her husband stated the choice to listen to proof in non-public was “a blatant betrayal of transparency and justice” and accused the NCA of waging “a ruthless smear marketing campaign”.
The couple stated: “Whereas the inquiry refused to exclude PPE Medpro, it handed the NCA the facility to dictate the proceedings behind a wall of secrecy, making certain that solely their model of occasions is heard – whereas we’re denied the correct to defend ourselves.”
In a social media submit, Baroness Mone stated she didn’t realise that the corporate can be “particularly profiled” by the inquiry till the top of February.
“Till then, it was understood that discussions have been normal, masking general PPE procurement, not concentrating on any particular person entity,” she added.
The couple’s assertion was launched after their second strategy to be made core contributors was rejected.
Baroness Hallett stated permitting the applying to proceed would have led to a “additional diversion of sources” and have induced “important disruption” to the inquiry’s timetable.
